The  Poetry  and  Philosophy 

OF 

BROWNING 


A  Handbook  of  Eight  Lectures  by 

Edward  Howard  Griggs 


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B.  W.   HUEBSCH 

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Copyright,  1005,  by 
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:4At  the  midnight  in  the  silence  of  the  sleep-time, 
When  you  set  your  fancies  free, 
Will  they  pass  to  where — by  death,  fools  think,  imprisoned — 
Low  he  lies  who  once  so  loved  you,  whom  you  loved  so, 
—Pity  me? 

Oh  to  love  so,  be  so  loved,  yet  so  mistaken! 

What  had  I  on  earth  to  do 
With  the  slothful,  with  the  mawkish,  the  unmanly? 
Like  the  aimless,  helpless,  hopeless,  did  I  drivel 
— Being — who  ? 

One  who  never  turned  his  back  but  marched  breast  forward, 

Never  doubted  clouds  would  break, 
Never  dreamed,  though  right  were  worsted,  wrong  would  triumph, 
Held  we  fall  to  rise,  are  baffled  to  fight  better 
Sleep  to  wake. 

No,  at  noonday  in  the  bustle  of  man's  work-time 

Greet  the  unseen  with  a  cheer! 
Bid  him  forward,  breast  and  back  as  either  should  be, 
'Strive  and  thrive!'  cry  'Speed, — fight  on,  fare  ever 
There  as  here!'" 

— Browning,  Epilogue  to  Asolando. 


jvj«J7700 


INDEX. 

PAGE 

Note:  Spirit  of  the  Course    ......        6 


1.  The  Positive  Message:  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra  ....  7 

2.  Music  and  the  Spirit:   Abt  Vogler  .....  12 

3.  The  Study  of  Personality:  Andrea  del  Sarto      .         .         .17 

4.  The  Portrayal  of  Failure:  Cleon 21 

5.  The  Tragedy  of  the  Pursuit  of  Knowledge:  Paracelsus         .  25 

6.  Browning's  Philosophy  of  Art  and  Life:   The  Ring  and  the 

Book           .                   30 

7.  The  Crowning  Revelation  of  Manhood:  Caponsacchi  .         .  35 

8.  Browning's  Interpretation  of  Womanhood:  Pompilia  .          .  40 


Suggestions  to  Students         ......       45 

Book  List 46 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  COURSE. 

THE  aim  of  this  course  is  to  give  an  introduction  to  the  poetry 
and  philosophy  of  Browning  through  the  careful  study  of  a 
few  typical  and  especially  lofty  expressions  of  his  genius. 
The  first  half  of  the  course  will  deal  with  four  of  Browning's  repre- 
sentative shorter  poems,  chosen  as  best  expressing  at  once  his  inter- 
pretation of  human  life  and  his  characteristic  poetic  method,  the 
dramatic  monologue.  The  second  half  of  the  course  will  deal  with  two 
of  his  longer  works  which  illustrate  in  widely  different  ways  his  char- 
acteristics in  thought  and  art.  Of  these,  Paracelsus  embodies  the 
youthful  Browning,  plunging  into  the  deepest  psychological  and 
moral  problems,  while  The  Ring  and  the  Book,  a  dozen  dramatic  mono- 
logues interpreting  one  theme,  gives  Browning's  mature  philosophy 
of  art  and  life  and  contains  his  highest  presentation  of  exalted  man- 
hood and  womanhood.  An  appreciation  of  these  poems  should  give 
such  an  understanding  of  Browning's  essential  attitude  and  character- 
istic poetic  form  as  to  furnish  a  key  to  all  else  he  has  written. 

Many  of  us  can  testify  with  deep  gratitude  to  the  unique  influence 
of  Browning  over  us.  We  love  him  peculiarly,  not  only  as  a  poet, 
but  because  he  has  helped  waken  us  to  the  deepest  ends  and  meaning 
of  human  life.  To  our  age  he  is  a  great  spiritual  teacher,  not  of  the 
conventions  of  faith,  but  of  that  religion  of  personal  life  which  the 
world  is  beginning  faintly  to  understand. 

Prophet  as  he  is  with  reference  to  modern  life,  expressing,  not  the 
conceptions  that  come  and  go  with  the  hour,  but  those  great  ideas 
which  come  through  the  long  unfolding  of  humanity,  Browning 
is  not  easily  understood  until  we  saturate  ourselves  with  a  few  great 
embodiments  of  his  genius,  and  thus  learn  to  read  his  poetry  from 
the  point  of  view  of  his  own  spirit.  When  we  are  able  to  do  this,  Brown- 
ing is  rarely  more  difficult  to  read  than  the  range  and  depth  of  problems 
he  attempts,  necessitates.  Instead  of  finding  him  obscure,  we  respond 
with  increasing  exhilaration  to  the  rapid  movement  and  deep  sugges- 
tion of  his  thought ,  and  to  the  strength,  variety  and  harmonious  adapta- 
tion of  his  virile  and  often  exquisite  poetic  form. 


.»     e     .  »     -y 


o    » 

-    . 


I.   THE  POSITIVE  MESSAGE:   RABBI  BEN   EZRA. 

"Only  a  learner, 

Quick  one  or  slow  one, 
Just  a  discerner, 

I  would  teach  no  one. 
I  am  earth's  native: 
No  rearranging  it! 
/  be  creative, 

Chopping  and  changing  it?" 

— Browning,  Pisgah-Sights  II,  p.  205.* 

"Then  life  is — to  wake  not  sleep, 
Rise  and  not  rest,  but  press 
From  earth's  level  where  blindly  creep 

Things  perfected,  more  or  less, 
To  the  heaven's  height,  far  and  steep." 

— Browning,  Asolando,  Reverie,  p.  266. 


LECTURE  OUTLINE. 

Introduction. — The  statement  regarding  Thoreau  that  it  was  his 
misfortune  to  have  had  a  brilliant  enemy  as  a  critic  and  a  weak  friend 
as  apologist.  Application  of  this  to  the  multitude  of  critics  and  apolo- 
gists in  the  case  of  Browning.  His  misfortune  that  the  subjective 
and  spiritual  character  of  his  poetry  made  it  fall  easily  a  prey  to  those 
who  cultivate  the  mysticism  of  intellectual  laziness,  dabbling  in  the 
esoteric  because  unwilling  to  take  the  trouble  to  think  clearly,  imagin- 
ing that  obscure  expression  is  depth  of  thought.  Yet  already  the 
froth  of  misguided  adoration  and  prejudiced  attack  clearing  away, 
and  a  recognition  growing  that  Browning  is  distinctly  the  most  virile 
and  spiritually  awakening  mind  in  modern  English  literature. 

Browning's  alleged  obscurity. — Reasons  for  the  charge:    (1)  Intro- 
spective interest  of  Browning;    (2)  Characteristic  method;    (3)  Rapid 
movement  of  thought;  (4)  Depth  of  thought  and  problem;  (5)  Absence 
of  explanation,  and  assumption  of  special  knowledge.    Thus  necessary 
*  All  references  to  Browning  are  to  the  Camberwell  edition.    See  the  Book  List,  p.  46. 

7 


to  bring  to  the  poem  some  knowledge  of  the  subject  it  presents;  to 
get  into  sympathy  with  the  spirit  and  movement  of  Browning's  thought; 
to  grapple  with  the  desp  'problems  he  studies.  The  question  whether 
there  is  still  an  element  of  unnecessary  obscurity. 

Method  of  trfe  course. — The  Value  of  the  short  dramatic  monologues 
written  m  tne  period  of  Browning's  full  maturity  in  genius.  These 
poems  as  peculiarly  excellent  in  both  thought  and  form;  as  giving  a 
condensed  statement  of  Browning's  essential  message;  as  the  best 
expressions  of  his  characteristic  poetic  method;  as  more  easily  mastered 
than  the  longer  poems.  Hence  the  value  of  these  selected  brief  poems 
as  an  introduction  to  Browning's  poetry  and  philosophy.  Place  in 
the  work  of  Browning  of  the  four  to  be  discussed. 

From  these  turn  to  two  of  the  longer  works.  The  place  of  Paracelsus 
as  revealing  Browning's  youth  and  presenting  one  range  of  his  central 
teaching.  The  Ring  and  the  Book  as  his  masterpiece  among  the  longer 
poems.  Its  significance  as  a  multiplied  dramatic  monologue;  as  the 
fullest  statement  of  Browning's  philosophy;  as  his  most  wonderful 
presentation  of  transfigured  human  life. 

What  should  result  from  the  study  of  these  portions  of  Browning's 
work. 

The  life  of  Browning  (1812-1889). — Browning  unlike  most  poets  in 
the  character  of  his  life.  Everywhere  affirmative,  positive,  yet  in 
true  harmony  with  the  noblest  ideals.  No  apology  needed  in  his 
case:   he  lived  his  faith,  in  both  personal  and  vocational  life. 

Unusual  character  of  his  childhood.  Camberwell;  family  back- 
ground;   early  tastes.     Dedication  to  poetry  from  childhood. 

Young  manhood  of  Browning.  Period  of  restlessness:  its  probable 
significance  in  his  life.  First  great  work:  Pauline,  published  at  21; 
Paracelsus  at  23.  Great  difference  between  the  two.  Significance  of 
the  early  struggle  with  deep  problems.  Compare  Tennyson's  work 
at  the  same  age. 

Period  of  dramas. — Early  association  with  actors  and  interest  in  the 
stage.  Character  of  Browning's  dramas.  Considerable  measure  of 
public  success  with  them. 

Epoch  of  full  maturity. — Browning's  finding  of  himself  and  of  the 
true  leading  in  his  work.  Turning  away  from  the  field  in  which  he  had 
won  some  public  response.  Loss  of  his  audience.  Prejudice  against 
his  work  and  attacks  upon  it.  For  twenty  years  Browning  working 
steadily  on  with  little  response  beyond  the  limited  circle  of  individual 
admirers  and  friends. 

Turn  of  the  tide  when  Browning  about  fifty.  Steady  growth  of 
appreciation  from  that  time  onward.  His  position  well  established 
at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1889. 

8 


Thus  remarkable  spectacle  of  this  twenty  years  of  straightforward, 
undoubting  work,  in  the  face  of  misappreciation  and  abuse.  One 
main  cause  of  Browning's  attitude  the  deep  personal  relationship  of 
his  life. 

Browning's  personal  life. — Story  of  the  love-affair  with  Elizabeth 
Barrett.  Unusual  circumstances  of  the  marriage.  The  ordinary 
counsels,  biological  and  prudential,  under  such  circumstances.  Yet 
Browning's  love  and  married  life  one  of  the  few  personal  relationships 
we  are  privileged  to  know  about  which  help  us  to  recognize  the  heights 
that  are  attainable  in  the  most  wonderful  aspect  of  human  life. 

The  Browning  letters.  The  life  in  Italy.  Effect  of  his  greatest 
personal  experience  on  Browning's  poetry.  Life  and  work  after  the 
death  of  his  wife. 

Browning's  supreme  interest. — The  study  of  soul  development 
through  critical  moments  of  experience.  Browning's  belief  that  a 
man  is  proved  by  the  crowning  experience  of  his  life.  Hence  the  study 
of  these  critical  moments  should  throw  light  before  and  after  and 
reveal  the  meaning  of  his  whole  existence.  Different  types  of  moments 
significant  for  different  characters.  Illustrate:  Abt  Vogler;  Andrea 
del  Sarto;   Cleon.  / 

Browning's  poetic  method. — The  dramatic  monologue  the  natural 
vehicle  for  embodying  Browning's  interest  in  human  life.  Full  matur- 
ing of  his  poetry  with  his  recognition  and  acceptance  of  this  fact. 

Compare  Browning's  interest  and  method  with  those  of  other  poets: 
^Eschylus,  Dante,  Goethe,  Shakespeare.  The  soliloquies  of  Hamlet, 
strung  together  without  context,  as  an  illustration  of  Browning's 
typical  work  in  content  and  form.  Expression  of  Browning's  char- 
acteristic interest  and  method  even  in  works  more  objectively  dramatic : 
illustrations. 

Adaptation  of  form  to  content. — Browning  too  wise  to  plow  fields 
in  white  gloves.  His  aim,  not  to  make  monotonously  musical  verse, 
but  to  give  adequate  and  harmonious  expression  to  his  thoughts  and 
characters.  Measure  of  his  success  in  this.  Variety  of  his  poetic 
forms  in  both  music  and  imagery.  His  achievement  at  his  best  and 
at  his  worst. 

Personal  element  in  Browning. — Browning  not  purely  dramatic  as 
Shakespeare.  While  never  wearing  his  heart  on  his  sleeve,  always 
directly  or  indirectly  expressing  his  essential  attitude  and  faith.  The 
poet  behind  each  of  his  characters. 

Rabbi  Ben  Ezra. — This  poem  showing  perhaps  as  well  as  any  in  all 
Browning's  work  his  essential  message  and  characteristic  method. 

The  historical  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra:  his  work;  his  theory  of  immortality, 
Situation  of  the  poem. 

9 


Stanza-form  in  the  poem.  Type  of  music  and  imagery;  adaptation 
to  the  character. 

The  view  of  old  age.  Quick  change  in  thought.  Characteristics 
of  youth  and  value  of  its  "divine  discontent."  Browning's  thought 
of  life  as  a  growth.  Hence  acceptance  of  pain  and  unfulfilled  effort 
and  aspiration  where  life  results.  Glad  recognition  of  the  good  mean- 
ing in  both  body  and  spirit. 

Return  in  stanza  XIII  to  the  initial  thought  of  the  poem:  illustra- 
tion of  the  movement  of  Browning's  thought:  compare  deep  conversa- 
tion 

The  view  of  age  as  a  resting-point  between  two  courses  of  action, 
enabling  one  to  gather  up  the  meaning  of  the  first  before  turning  to 
the  second 

Rabbi  Ben  Ezra's  faith  in  the  eternity  of  life:  is  it  Browning's? 
Reasons  for  the  assurance  of  immortality. 

The  new  turn  to  the  metaphor  of  the  Potter's  Wheel.  Conception 
of  the  relation  of  God  and  the  soul.     Again  grounds  for  the  faith. 

The  positive  message. — Reasons  for  identifying  Browning's  view  of 
life  essentially  with  that  taken  in  the  poem:  (1)  mood  and  spirit  of 
the  whole;  (2)  obvious  identification  of  poet  and  character;  (3)  out- 
side evidence  from  other  direct  expressions  of  Browning's  faith. 

Browning's  glad  acceptance  of  human  life:  in  youth  and  age;  in 
pain  and  joy;  in  body  and  spirit,  since  through  all  may  be  growth  up 
toward  that  image  of  God  in  which  we  are  potentially  made. 


TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  How  far  are  we  justified  in  identifying  Browning's  personal 

faith  with  the  views  given  in  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra? 

2.  Compare  the  view  of  old  age  in  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra  "with  that  given 

in  the  first  book  of  Plato's  Republic. 

3.  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra's  theory  of  immortality. 

4.  Browning's  view  of  the  life  of  the  senses. 

5.  Why  cannot  life  be  judged  by  its  results  in  work  alone? 

6.  Compare  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra  and  Tennyson's  Ancient  Sage. 

7.  What  is  the  moral  value  of  discontent? 

8    The  construction  and  value  of  the  stanza-form  in  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra. 
9.  The  sources  of  Browning's  faith  in  God  and  immortality. 
10.  Compare  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra's  philosophy  in  the  poem  with  Brown- 
ing's expression  of  faith  in  Prospice,  the  Epilogue  to  Asolando, 
the  Reverie  (in  Asolando)  and  Im,  Saisiaz. 

10 


REFERENCES. 

See  the  suggestions  to  students,  p.  45,  and  the  general  book  list, 
pp.  46-51.  Books  starred  are  of  special  value  in  connection  with 
this  course;  those  double-starred  are  texts  for  study  and  discussion 
or  are  otherwise  of  first  importance. 

Browning,  **Rabbi  Ben  Ezra;  **Epilogue  to  Asolando;  **Prospice; 
*Reverie  (in  Asolando);  *  La  Saisiaz.  Browning,  R.  and  E.  B.,  ^Letters. 
Browning,  E.  B.,  Letters.  Berdoe,  Browning's  Message  to  His  Time, 
pp.  1-70,  193-213.  Brooke,  The  Poetry  of  Robert  Browning,  chapter  I, 
Browning  and  Tennyson.  Bulkeley,  The  Reasonable  Rhythm  of  Some 
of  Browning's  Poems.  Carpenter,  The  Religious  Spirit  in  the  Poets. 
Chesterton,  *Robert  Browning.  Corson,  ^Introduction  to  Browning, 
pp.  3-31,  72-98,  130-133.  Dowden,  *Robert  Browning.  Fothering- 
ham,  Studies  of  the  Mind  and  Art  of  Browning.  Gosse,  Robert  Browning. 
Herford,  Robert  Browning.  Mrs.  Orr,  Life  and  Letters  of  Robert  Brown- 
ing. Rolfe,  Browning's  Mastery  of  Rhyme,  in  Boston  Browning  Society 
Papers,  pp.  164-172.  Royce,  Browning's  Theism,  in  Boston  Browning 
Society  Papers,  pp.  7-34.  Sharp,  Life  of  Browning.  Symons,  Intro- 
duction to  Browning.     Waugh,  Robert  Browning. 


11 


II.   MUSIC   AND   THE   SPIRIT:   ABT  VOGLER. 

"Music  is  the  harmonious  voice  of  creation;  an  echo  of  the  invisible 
world;  one  note  of  the  divine  concord  which  the  entire  universe  is 
destined  one  day  to  sound: — how  can  you  hope  to  seize  that  note  if 
not  by  elevating  your  minds  to  the  contemplation  of  the  universe, 
viewing  with  the  eye  of  faith  things  invisible  to  the  unbelieving,  and 
compassing  the  whole  creation  in  your  study  and  affection?" 

— Joseph  Mazzini,  Life  and  Writings,  volume  IV,  p.  8. 


LECTURE   OUTLINE. 

Introduction. — Abt  Vogler,  like  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra,  a  poem  giving  a  direct 
statement  of  Browning's  essential  faith  and  also  a  typical  expression 
of  his  poetic  method.  Yet  in  Abt  Vogler  a  further  element:  the  philos- 
ophy of  music;  and  through  the  experience  of  the  musical  artist  a 
mystical,  spiritual  vision. 

The  value  of  the  dramatic  monologue  in  the  expression  of  such  a 
spiritual  faith  and  philosophy.  The  difference  between  a  dogmatic 
theory  of  life  and  an  artistic  presentation  of  how  life  looks  from  the 
point  of  view  of  a  certain  height  of  experience.  What  the  latter  does 
for  us:  (1)  In  our  appreciation  of  human  beings;  (2)  In  our  recognition 
of  the  deep  meaning  of  life;  (3)  In  our  hold  upon  the  bases  of  faith. 
The  distinction  between  saying  "this  is  true  of  life,"  and  "life  looks 
so  from  this  point  of  experience."  Contrast  wisdom  and  knowledge; 
the  truth  of  poetry  and  the  truth  of  philosophy. 

The  historical  Abt  Vogler  (1749-1814). — Early  dedication  to  music 
and  the  church.  Original  and  virile  mind  and  character.  Range 
of  public  success  in  several  lands.  Great  pupils.  Bitter  enemies,  who 
regarded  him  as  a  charlatan.  Work  as  musical  composer,  inventor, 
artist. 

Browning's  interest  in  the  forceful,  path-making  type  of  character. 
Significance  of  his  choice  of  Abt  Vogler,  instead  of  a  more  conventional 
type  of  artist,  to  interpret  experience  in  creative  art. 

12 


Browning's  own  love  of  music.  What  it  meant  in  his  life.  Hence 
his  preparation  for  the  study  in  the  poem. 

Situation  in  the  poem. — Abt  Vogler  presented  in  the  moment  just 
after  he  has  been  extemporizing  on  the  instrument  of  his  own  inven- 
tion. This  as  illustrating  the  highest  point  in  musical  art,  where  the 
artist  who  composes  and  the  artist  who  executes  are  one,  and  the 
creative  energy  flows  out  in  instantaneous  expression.  Value  for  Brown- 
ing's purpose  of  this  bridging  of  the  chasm  between  composition  and 
execution  ordinarily  present  in  music.  Significance  that  the  instrument 
through  which  he  finds  expression  is  also  the  child  of  the  artist's  genius. 
The  moment  that  of  perfect  creating,  where  the  impulse  and  thought 
of  the  heart  flow  instantaneously  forth  in  adequate  and  harmonious 
form.  Thus  the  situation  of  the  poem  indeed  one  of  those  critical 
moments  of  experience  in  which  a  soul  is  tested  and  revealed,  and 
which  Browning  so  delighted  to  study. 

Browning's  question:  how  does  art  and  how  does  life  appear  from 
the  view-point  of  Abt  Vogler's  supreme  experience?  Browning's 
belief  that  life  is  tested  at  high-water  mark.  Truth  as  revealed  on. 
the  heights.  The  higher  we  climb,  the  truer  is  the  perspective  from 
which  life  is  seen.  Hence  the  value  of  great  experiences  and  of  art  as 
an  expression  and  interpretation  of  them.  Illustrations  from  human 
life  and  history  of  the  truth  of  Browning's  view. 

Form  of  the  poem. — Abt  Vogler's  soul  vibrant  with  the  most  intense 
emotion,  he  bursts  into  poetic  expression.  Adaptation  of  the  long, 
six-foot,  eight-line  stanza,  with  its  predominance  of  dactylic  feet,  to 
the  mood  of  the  poem.  Organ-like  roll  in  the  strong  music  of  the 
poem.     Alliteration  as  distinctly  adding  to  this  impression. 

Imagery  of  the  poem  as  equally  adapted  to  the  character  and  situa- 
tion. Browning's  reversal  of  the  conventional  comparison  of  archi- 
tecture and  music.  Music  as  liquid  architecture,  the  artist's  thought 
flowing  out  into  the  many-pinnacled  temple  of  sound  with  no  slow 
process  of  time  and  labor  existing  as  barrier  between  idea  and  execu- 
tion.    Abt  Vogler's  images  all  in  dramatic  truth  to  the  character. 

Stanzas  I-III. — Abt  Vogler's  hunger  that  his  wonderful  achieve- 
ment might  last.  Solomon's  legendary  magic  no  more  marvelous  in 
its  results  than  this  temple  of  sound  Abt  Vogler  has  raised.  His 
wish  that  it  might  last  as  only  a  natural  expression  of  that  hunger  for 
permanence  that  is  one  of  the  two  bottom  desires  of  the  human  heart. 

Stanzas  IV,  V. — Art  creative  like  Nature,  thus  lifting  us  into  har- 
mony with  her.  Sense  of  cooperation  of  the  universe  with  us  in  every 
act  of  creation. 

The  power  of  music  to  lift  us  to  a  point  of  spiritual  appreciation 
where  past  and  future  seem  real  now.     Contrast  the  standards  of 

13 


time  and  space  with  the  standards  of  the  soul.  Compare  Goethe's 
Dedication  to  Faust. 

Stanzas  VI,  VII:  the  philosophy  of  music. — Abt  Vogler's  view  of 
the  miracle  in  music.  His  statement  of  his  own  art  from  within,  of 
the  other  arts  from  without;  thus  giving  the  positive  excellence  01 
music,  and  the  limitations  of  painting  and  poetry. 

In  music  form  sublimated:  each  sound  created  only  to  be  annulled 
the  next  instant  by  another.  Through  the  succession  of  births  and 
deaths  of  the  musical  sounds  the  arousing  of  a  series  of  emotional 
states  in  the  hearer.  Thus  music  bridging  more  immediately  than 
the  other  arts  the  chasm  between  body  and  spirit.  To  explain  how 
the  series  of  psychical  states  springs  from  the  series  of  physical 
forms  would  be  to  solve  the  riddle  of  the  universe. 

Transition  to  spiritual  philosophy:  stanzas  VIII,  IX. — With  stanza 
VII  close  of  the  first  movement  of  the  poem,  concerned  with  the  narra- 
tion of  Abt  Vogler's  experience.  The  remaining  stanzas  giving  the 
interpretation  of  the  experience.  Type  of  experience  Abt  Vogler  repre- 
sents; thus  what  music  can  symbolize. 

No  comfort  to  the  musical  extemporizer  that  other  temples  of  sound 
may  be  born  as  this  that  is  gone  was  born.  So  no  comfort  to  the 
human  heart  that  there  may  be  a  succession  of  experiences. 

"Each  Morn  a  thousand  Roses  b:.-gs,  \gj  say; 
Yes,  but  where  leaves  the  Rose  of  Yesterday?" 

Hunger  for  the  eternity  of  the  particular  experience. 

But  is  the  music  gone?  Compare  the  experience  surviving  in  the 
soul  of  the  man.  I  am  the  net  resultant  of  all  my  yesterdays.  Thus 
the  temple  of  sound  surviving  in  the  soul  of  the  artist;  the  wealth 
of  changing  experience  in  the  character  of  the  man. 

Leap  from  this  fact  to  the  belief  in  eternity.  Browning  not  arguing 
from  desire  to  realization.  The  argument:  as  yesterday  and  to-day 
are  justified  by  their  result  in  my  unfolding  life,  so  I  may  dare  to  trust 
to-morrow.     Worth  of  such  an  argument. 

Stanzas  X,  XI:  View  of  good  and  evil.— As  only  that  which  is  posi- 
tive, in  harmony  with  the  spiritual  order  of  the  universe,  really  lives 
on,  so  evil  is  negation,  "silence  implying  sound."  Hence  from  the 
point  of  view  of  the  whole  of  life,  possible  to  accept  even  the  moral 
darkness  and  shadows  of  life  as  we  know  it. 

Splendid  enthusiasm  in  this  ringing  song  of  Abt  Vogler's  faith. 
Note:  Browning  does  not  say  "these  things  are  true";  but  "life 
looks  this  way  from  the  point  of  spiritual  vision  Abt  Vogler  lias  reached 
through  his  creative  art."     The  underlying  question:    dare  we  trust 

14 


such  a  vision,  or  is  it  a  cheating  illusion,  while  the  prosaic  sand-wastes 
we  plod  over  after  descending  from  the  mountain  are  the  truth  of  life? 
Browning's  unhesitating  and  emphatic  answer  to  this  question.  Note: 
not  necessary  that  we  should  be  able  to  prove  or  disprove;  but  im- 
portant that  we  should  know  what  we  may  dare  to  believe  as  the 
basis  of  our  lives.  A  kind  of  heroism  demanded  in  faith:  we  must 
dare  to  cling  to  what  we  have  seen  in  our  highest  experiences,  and  to 
brave  life  as  if  the  loftiest  that  has  come  to  us  were  true. 

Stanza  XII:  Conclusion. — Descent  to  the  common  chord,  the  C- 
major  of  this  life.  Impossible  to  remain  upon  the  peak  of  vision. 
Every  mountain  means  at  least  two  valleys.  In  every  life  moments 
of  supreme  vision;  in  every  life  dead  areas  of  commonplace.  Great 
living  the  carrying  of  the  vision  of  the  mountain  across  the  sand- 
wastes  and  into  even  the  valley  of  the  shadow  in  the  assurance  that  if 
we  do  so  faithfully  the  mountains  will  appear  in  the  distance,  and  by 
and  by  the  vision — a  new  vision — will  come  again. 


TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  What  is  the  significance  of  Browning's  love  of  unusual  char- 

acters and  subjects? 

2.  The  historic  Abt  Vogler. 

3.  The  metrical  structure  in  Abt  Vogler.     Compare  that  in  Rabbi 

Ben  Ezra. 

4.  The  imagery  in  Abt  Vogler.     Compare  that  in  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra. 

5.  The  significance  of  the  dramatic  moment  chosen  to  interpret 

Abt  Vogler. 

6.  Is  Abt  Vogler  just  to  painting  and  poetry? 

7.  Why  has  music  so  important  a  religious  function? 

8.  What  gives  music  its  superiority  to  the  other  arts  in  expressing 

the  Infinite? 

9.  What  is  the  reason  for  choosing  the  experience  of  the  musician 

as  a  vehicle  for  interpreting  the  highest  spiritual  life? 

10.  What  ground  is  there  for  believing  that  "there  shall  never  be 

one  lost  good"? 

11.  What   advantage   has   the   poetical   expression   of   Browning's 

faith  in  Abt  Vogler  over  a  dogmatic  statement  of  the  same 
view  of  life? 

12.  Compare  Abt  Vogler  and  Master  Hugues  of  Saxe-Gotha. 

13.  Compare  Abt   Vogler  and   With  Charles  Avison  in  Parleyings 

with  Certain  People. 

15 


REFERENCES. 

Browning,  **Abt  Vogler;  **  Said;  *M 'aster  Hugues  of  Saxe-Gotha; 
*A  Toccata  of  Galuppi's;  *With  Charles  Avison  in  Parleyings  with 
Certain  People.  Beale,  The  Religious  Teaching  of  Browning.  Berdoe, 
* Browning  and  the  Christian  Faith.  Brooke,  *The  Poetry  of  Brown- 
ing, chapter  V.  Corson,  Introduction  to  Browning,  pp.  122-126.  Daw- 
son, Makers  of  Modern  English,  chapters  XXVI-XXIX.  Fothering- 
ham,  Studies  of  the  Mind  and  Art  of  Browning,  chapter  XVII.  Jones, 
Browning  as  a  Philosophical  and  Religious  Teacher.  Mazzini,  Life 
and  Writings,  volume  IV,  pp.  1-55,  *The  Philosophy  of  Music.  Orme- 
rod,  *Abt  Vogler,  the  Man;  *Some  Notes  on  Browning's  Poems  Re- 
ferring to  Music.  Pigou  Browning  as  a  Religious  Teacher.  Mrs. 
Turnbull,  Abt  Vogler. 


16 


in.   THE  STUDY  OF  PERSONALITY:  ANDREA 

DEL  SARTO. 

"My  stress  lay  on  the  incidents  in  the  development  of  a  soul:  little 
else  is  worth  study.     I,  at  least,  always  thought  so — you,  with  many 
known  and  unknown  to  me,  think  so, — others  may  one  day  think  so." 
— Browning,  in  letter  to  J.  Milsand,  prefatory  to  SordeUo. 


LECTURE  OUTLINE. 

Introduction. — Andrea  del  Sarto  widely  different  from  the  two  pre- 
ceding studies:  there  a  direct  expression  of  Browning's  faith  and 
attitude  through  the  medium  of  two  great  historical  characters;  here 
the  study  of  a  subtle  personality  widely  different  from  Browning  in 
fundamental  reaction  on  life.  No  question  as  to  Browning's  own 
attitude  toward  the  problems  presented  in  Andrea  del  Sarto;  but  a 
further  aspect  of  his  work — the  study  of  personality.  Wide  range  of 
Browning's  poems  in  which  this  is  the  dominant  interest.  Andrea 
del  Sarto  one  of  the  greatest  of  these. 

A  further  interest  in  Andrea  del  Sarto  in  the  study  of  the  historical 
character.  Yet  even  if  it  were  decided  that  Browning  failed  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  Florentine  painter,  the  main  value  of  the  poem 
as  a  study  of  human  character  and  the  main  truth  to  the  problems 
of  personal  life  remaining. 

The  historical  Andrea  del  Sarto  (1487-1531). — Andrea  living  just  in 
the  crowning  period  of  the  Florentine  renaissance:  contemporaneous 
with  Michael  Angelo,  Raphael  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci.  Great  interest 
to  the  students  of  art  in  Andrea's  work  through  its  technical  excellence 
and  the  marvelous  ease  of  Andrea's  execution.  In  drawing,  group- 
ing, color,  light  and  shadow,  Andrea  a  master  for  subsequent  artists. 

Vasari's  story. — Our  chief  knowledge  of  Andrea  coming  from  Vasari's 
Life.  Question  as  to  the  truth  of  Vasari's  statements.  Story  of 
the  youthful  painter.  His  questionable  marriage.  The  one  flight. 
Return  to  Florence  at  Lucrezia's  demand.  Subsequent  dishonor. 
Hack  work.  Vasari's  pathetic  account  of  Andrea's  death. 
3  17 


Tendency  to  question  Vasari's  account  to-day.  Yet,  as  a  pupil  of 
Andrea's,  Vasari  should  have  known  the  facts;  and  his  story  should 
be  accepted  unless  we  believe  him  guilty  of  deliberate  falsifying.  The 
poem  following  strictly  Vasari's  account. 

Andrea's  paintings. — Andrea's  work  chiefly  in  Florence.  Great 
beauty  in  all  his  paintings:  one's  first  impression  from  them  that 
Browning's  interpretation  of  the  character  is  wrong.  Yet,  as  our 
study  proceeds,  a  more  and  more  perplexing  question.  In  spite  of 
beauty,  ease  of  execution,  soft  mingling  of  light  and  shade,  some- 
thing elusive  in  all  Andrea's  work.  Compare  his  Madonna  of  the 
Harpies,  Young  St.  John,  Deposition  from  the  Cross.  Moods  which  he 
could  interpret.  Crowning  expression  in  his  Last  Supper  at  San  Salvi. 
Self-revelation  in  his  portraits. 

Suggestion  in  all  Andrea's  work  of  something  greater  unattained. 
Sense  in  which  his  reach  did  exceed  his  grasp.  Thus  failure  from  the 
point  of  view  of  his  own  unattained  ideal,  in  spite  of  the  great  work 
he  really  achieved.  Substantial  truth  therefore  of  the  poem  to  the 
historical  character;  only,  the  poem  must  be  read  in  the  light  of  the 
remarkable  work  Andrea  accomplished. 

Situation  of  the  poem. — Evening:  the  twilight  drawing  down; 
Andrea  in  his  Florentine  studio,  looking  out  of  the  window  at  Fiesole 
and  Mount  Morello:  speaking  half  to  himself,  half  to  the  wife  who 
sits  condescendingly  beside  him.  Thus  the  moment  chosen  one  of 
quiet,  half-sad  meditation,  when  Andrea's  life  lies  clear  in  perspective 
and  he  can  sum  up  to  himself  its  meaning.  The  poem  one  of  the  best 
illustrations  of  the  revelation  of  a  character  through  a  critical  moment 
of  experience  by  means  of  the  dramatic  monologue. 

Verse  form  and  imagery. — Wonderful  delicacy  of  the  music  in  the 
blank  verse  of  the  poem,  expressing  the  moan  of  a  heart  whose  de- 
spair is  hopeless.  Evidence  of  Browning's  mastery  of  exquisite  ex- 
pression when  he  chose  to  use  it. 

Type  of  images  used  in  the  poem;  adaptation  to  the  character. 
Contrast  the  imagery  of  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra  and  Abt  Vogler.  Thus  again 
evidence  of  the  true  dramatic  power  of  Browning,  in  identifying  him- 
self with  the  spirit  of  his  character  and  clothing  the  latter  in  ap- 
propriate form. 

The  interpretative  mood. — Variety  of  moods  in  Andrea's  life;  but 
the  one  recurring  beneath  all  the  rest  and  revealing  the  real  heart  of 
his  life.     This  as  the  mood  of  the  poem. 

Husband  and  wife. — Andrea's  sensitive  appreciation  of  Lucrezia's 
beauty;  yearning  for  some  response  to  his  love  for  her,  but  accepting 
quietly  the  fact  that  (here  is  no  answer.  Timidly  pleading  that  she 
sit  by  him  through  the  evening  hour;  grateful  that  she  does  so  without 

18 


too  great  restlessness.  Holding  her  bodily  presence  for  the  moment; 
and  recognizing  that  there  is  no  way  he  can  hold  her  thought  and 
desire. 

How  such  a  woman  can  attract  such  a  man  and  hold  him  tangled 
in  the  charm  of  her  irresponsive  sensuousness.     The  pity  of  it! 

Andrea's  view  of  life. — How  philosophy  and  conduct  mold  each 
other.  One's  view  of  life  simply  the  horizon  of  one's  own  world  of 
action.  Thus  Andrea  believes  in  blind  fate,  because  his  will  has  broken 
against  obstacles  he  could  not  surmount.  Measure  of  truth  and  of 
mistake,  therefore,  in  his  view  of  the  world  and  of  his  own  life. 

Andrea's  despair. — In  this  quiet  hour  Andrea's  return  to  the  broken 
dream.  All  the  old  desire  surging  back  upon  him,  with  a  crushing 
sense  of  the  impossibility  of  its  fulfillment.  Thus  quiet  despair.  This 
as  so  much  deeper  than  the  despair  that  cries  out  passionately.  Thus 
Andrea:  the  wild  bird  rises  once  more  to  beat  its  breast  against  the 
inexorable  bars  of  the  cage;  then,  fresh- wounded,  droops  hopeless 
on  the  floor. 

In  the  pathetic  intimacy  of  this  evening  hour  Andrea's  revelation 
to  his  wife  of  the  one  great  compliment  he  had  received — Michael 
Angelo's  word  he  had  cherished  all  these  years  as  the  symbol  of  what 
he  might  have  been.  Lucrezia's  obliviousness,  asking  a  moment 
later  whose  word!  Gush  of  feeling  to  Andrea's  lips  and  eyes;  repres- 
sion;  despair  again.     And  then  the  Cousin's  whistle! 

The  one  more  chance  Andrea  craves.  Recognition  that  it  is  im- 
possible. Acceptance  of  fate — fate  now,  but  which  his  will  is  responsible 
for.     Mood  with  which  the  poem  closes. 

The  poem  and  the  painter. — Wonderful  revelation  of  the  deep  things 
of  human  life  in  this  subtle  study  of  personality;  yet  also  substantial 
truth  to  the  historical  character.  Leaving  the  gossipy  tradition  aside, 
the  Andrea  of  the  poem  the  man  who  painted  the  pictures  that  hang 
in  Florence.  The  sensitive  spirit,  delicately  responsive  to  every  appeal 
from  the  sensuous  world,  but  lacking  the  firm  center  of  masculine 
self-control  and  self-direction,  as  the  background  from  which  spring 
those  subtle,  beautiful,  elusive  paintings  that  perplex  us  in  the  galleries 
of  Florence. 

Browning  and  Andrea. — How  an  artist  can  interpret  his  dramatic 
counterpart — the  type  that  embodies  the  weakness  of  his  own  strength. 
So  Browning  and  Andrea:  contrast  the  two  marriages;  the  life  in 
Casa  Guidi  and  the  picture  hanging  in  the  Pitti  Palace  opposite — 
the  picture  Browning  wrote  his  poem  to  describe. 

Browning's  view  of  Andrea's  tragedy.  Causes  of  the  tragedy. 
Was  it  inevitable?  Suggestion  by  dramatic  irony  of  what  the  life  of 
love  and  the  life  of  "work  should  be. 

19 


TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Compare  the  verse-form  in  Andrea  del  Sarto  with  that  in  Rabbi 

Ben  Ezra  and  Abt  Vogler. 

2.  Compare  the  imagery  in  Andrea  del  Sarto  with  that  in  Rabbi 

Ben  Ezra  and  Abt  Vogler. 

3.  Has  Browning  succeeded  in  giving  a  true  interpretation  of  the 

historical  Andrea  del  Sarto? 

4.  Compare  the  relative  values  of  the  study  of  personal  life  and 

the    interpretation  of    a  historical  character  in  Andrea  del 
Sarto. 

5.  Compare  Andrea  del  Sarto  and  Tennyson's  Romney's  Remorse. 

6.  The  causes  of  Andrea  del  Sarto 's  failure. 

7.  Compare  Andrea  del  Sarto  with  other  poems  of  Browning  dealing 

with  the  renaissance,  as  Fra  Lippo  Lippi  and   The  Bishop 
Orders  His  Tomb. 

8.  Contrast  the  study  of  personal  life  in  Andrea  del  Sarto  and  in 

A  Forgiveness. 

9.  Compare  the  view  of  personal  life  given  in  Andrea  del  Sarto  and 

in  Any  Wife  to  Any  Husband. 

10.  Contrast  Browning's  personal  experience  with  that  of  Andrea 

del  Sarto. 

11.  Can  Browning's  own  philosophy  of  personal  life  be  discovered 

in  Andrea  del  Sarto? 


REFERENCES. 

Browning,  ** Andrea  del  Sarto;  **Fra  Lippo  Lippi;  *The  Bishop 
Orders  His  Tomb;  *Pictor  Ignotus;  *James  Lee's  Wife;  *A  Woman's 
Last  Word;  *Any  Wife  to  Any  Husband;  *A  Forgiveness.  Brooke, 
Poetry  of  Browning,  chapter  V,  *The  Poet  of  Art.  Burton,  Literary 
Likings,  pp.  150-171,  Renaissance  Pictures  in  Browning's  Poetry. 
Corson,  *  Introduction  to  Browning,  pp.  32-71,  113-116.  Fleming, 
Andrea  del  Sarto.  Fotheringham,  Studies  of  the  Mind  and  Art  of 
Browning,  chapter  XV.  Grant,  Browning's  Art  in  Monologue,  in 
Boston  Browning  Society  Papers,  pp.  35-06.  Ormerod,  Andrea  del 
Sarto  and  Abt  Vogler.  Tennyson,  *Romneyt8  Remorse.  Vasari, 
Lives  of  the  Painters,  volume  IV,  pp.  169-202,  *Andrea  del  Sarto. 
Whitman,  Browning  in  Relation  to  Painting. 


20 


IV.     THE    PORTRAYAL   OF   FAILURE:   CLEON. 

"For  it  is  with  this  world,  as  starting-point  and  basis  alike,  that 
we  shall  always  have  to  concern  ourselves:  the  world  is  not  to  be 
learned  and  thrown  aside,  but  reverted  to  and  relearned.  The  spiritual 
comprehension  may  be  infinitely  subtilized,  but  the  raw  material 
it  operates  upon  must  remain.  There  may  be  no  end  of  the  poets  who 
communicate  to  us  what  they  see  in  an  object  with  reference  to  their 
own  individuality;  what  it  was  before  they  saw  it,  in  reference  to  the 
aggregate  human  mind,  will  be  as  desirable  to  know  as  ever." 

— Browning,  Essay  on  Shelley,  p.  285. 

"Why  stay  we  on  the  earth  unless  to  grow?" 

— Browning,  Cleon,  p.  84. 


LECTURE   OUTLINE. 

Introduction. — A  further  type  of  dramatic  monologue  in  Cleon: 
the  primary  interest  a  study  of  failure  on  the  basis  of  what  Brown- 
ing considers  a  false  philosophy  of  life.  In  Andrea  del  Sarto  failure 
in  personal  life,  in  love  and  work.  Cleon  rich,  honored,  successful, 
the  friend  of  princes  and  chief  artist  of  his  time,  yet  the  rose  of  life 
dust  and  ashes  in  his  hands. 

Cleon  an  imaginary  character  typifying  the  epoch  of  decadent  Greek 
culture.  Thus  interest  in  Browning's  interpretation  of  the  epoch 
as  well  as  in  his  study  of  the  significance  for  any  time  of  Cleon 's  philos- 
ophy of  life. 

Browning's  own  faith  opposite  to  that  of  Cleon;  thus  suggested  by 
dramatic  irony  in  the  poem.  Yet  Browning's  essential  attitude  as 
evident  through  the  indirect  expression  in  Cleon  as  in  its  affirmative 
embodiment  in  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra  and  Abt  Vogler. 

Character  and  epoch  of  Cleon. — Instructive  character  of  the  declin- 
ing Greek  world.  Refinement  of  culture  following  upon  virility  of 
manhood.  Interest  transferred  from  public  to  private  life.  Diffi- 
culty in  life  and  faith  in  such  an  age.  Resemblance  between  the 
epoch  of  Cleon  and  our  own. 

21 


Cleon  a  perfect  type  of  his  age.  A  finished  artist  in  many  fields; 
poet,  philosopher,  with  a  delicate  sensitiveness  to  the  world  of  sensuous 
appeal  as  great  as  that  of  Andrea  del  Sarto;  but  honored  and  success- 
ful, with  a  wide  relation  to  the  world. 

Form  of  the  poem. — Exquisiteness  of  the  music  and  imagery  of  the 
poem,  thus  expressive  of  Cleon 's  spirit.  Perfect  adaptation  of  form 
to  content.  Browning's  use  of  recurring  images  to  unify  the  poem  and 
give  atmosphere.  How  the  spirit  of  the  whole  is  revealed  in  the 
music  and  imagery  of  the  opening  lines. 

Situation  of  the  poem. — Interesting  variation  of  the  dramatic  mono- 
logue. Cleon,  having  just  received  a  letter  accompanied  by  a  wealth 
of  gifts  from  his  friend  Protus,  one  of  the  petty  Greek  tyrants,  sits 
down  to  write  his  thanks  and  answer  the  king's  questions.  Thus  the 
poem  is  Cleon 's  letter. 

Compare  the  interpretative  moment  chosen  to  reveal  the  character 
in  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra,  Abt  Vogler,  and  Andrea  del  Sarto  with  that  selected 
here.  The  king's  question:  "Life  fails  for  me,  are  you  who  see  and 
paint  life  happy?";  and  in  rising  to  answer  this  tragic  question  Cleon 
revealing  the  meaning  of  his  character  and  experience. 

Cleon's  view  of  life. — Dramatic  irony  in  the  quotation  prefixed  to 
the  poem.  Even  among  the  Greeks,  Browning  thinks,  a  conception 
that  might  have  solved  Cleon's  perplexity. 

Cleon's  view  of  joy  as  the  use  and  end  of  life;  yet  not  vulgar  joy. 
The  refined  epicureanism  that  seeks  some  loftier  happiness  than  the 
mere  satisfaction  of  brute  instincts.  Revelation  of  Cleon's  vibrant 
response  to  every  appeal  from  the  world  of  sensuous  beauty  in  his  de- 
scription of  the  "one  lyric  woman." 

The  letter's  first  question. — Cleon's  pride  in  the  wonderful  range  of 
his  accomplishment.  Yet  haunting  sense  of  failure  in  it  all.  His 
life  overshadowed  by  the  simple  great  of  old.  His  effort  to  find  com- 
fort in  the  variety  of  his  achievements  and  the  many-sidedness  of  his 
culture.  Tendency  to  this  pseudo-originality  in  every  late  age.  The 
true  relation  to  history.  Impossible  to  know  too  much  of  the  past; 
but  possible  to  know  a  great  deal  and  be  incapable  of  vigorous  action 
in  the  present;  thus  to  have  life  overshadowed  by  great  yesterdays 
and  to  seek  novelty  for  originality.  The  true  value  of  the  past  as 
inspiration  for  the  present. 

Cleon's  failure  to  see  this.  Contrast  Browning's  own  view.  Cleon's 
hunger  for  progress,  yet  despair  within.     Causes  of  his  attitude. 

The  second  question. — With  honor,  fame  and  works  that  will  live 
behind  him  is  Cleon  happy?     Cleon's  pathetic-  answer. 

Self-consciousness  as  the  peculiar  mark  of  man.  Does  it  mean 
progress  beyond  the  life  of  the  brute?     Growth  of  a  world  of  desire 

22 


with  the  conscious  life,  yet  power  to  answer  desire  through  the  senses 
as  under  rigid  limitations  which  grow  more  narrow  through  the  very 
effort  for  culture  that  brings  to  birth  the  wider  desires.  The  image 
of  the  Naiad.  Contrast  the  view  taken  of  discontent  and  struggle  in 
Rabbi  Ben  Ezra.     Compare  Emerson's  Sphinx. 

Hence  Cleon's  blind  problem  and  his  deepening  despair.  The 
point  of  view  from  which  there  may  be  an  answer  to  his  problem; 
but  Cleon  struggling  within  a  closed  circle  and  unable  to  break  through 
it  to  a  higher  circle  of  ideas. 

The  joy-hunger. — Intensity  of  Cleon's  desire  for  what  seems  to  him 
life.  The  folly  of  trying  to  satisfy  it  by  promising  an  immortality 
in  works  one  leaves  behind.  Compare  Hamlet's  bitter  statement 
to  Horatio. 

Cleon's  expression  of  the  characteristic  Greek  view  of  old  age  and 
death.  Contrast  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra's  view.  Causes  for  the  difference 
in  attitude.  Unquestioning  rejection  of  all  hope  of  immortality  by 
Cleon:    reasons  for  his  despair. 

Paul's  preaching. — Cleon's  patronizing  attitude  toward  the  "  bar- 
barian Jew."  His  assurance  that  "our  philosophy"  is  the  only  en- 
lightened view.  Yet  St.  Paul's  preaching  as  emphasizing  the  very 
conceptions  which  would  have  solved  Cleon's  bitter  problem  and 
transformed  his  despair  into  strong,  hopeful  life.  Thus  the  dramatic 
irony  of  the  poem  and  the  suggestion  by  indirection  of  Browning's 
own  view  of  life. 

Ethical  value  of  the  poem. — Significance  of  the  poem  as  contrasted 
with  a  philosophical  argument  against  the  epicurean  philosophy. 
Value  in  presenting  the  philosophy  in  the  life  with  which  it  naturally 
clothes  itself.  Every  creed  tested  finally  by  the  fruit  it  brings  forth 
in  life.  Hence  the  trenchant  significance  of  Browning's  arraignment 
of  a  merely  hedonistic  philosophy  of  life  through  his  portrayal  of  the 
failure  of  Cleon. 

Contrast  in  value  such  a  dramatic  monologue  as  Cleon  with  the  poems 
that  are  merely  subtle  presentations  of  personality. 

The  vigor  of  Browning's  message.  Cleon's  age  resembling  ours. 
The  many  who  are  caught  in  Cleon's  dark  riddle  to-day.  The  splendid 
affirmation  of  the  worth  of  life  in  Browning.  His  glad  acceptance,  not 
only  of  joy  but  pain,  not  only  of  peace  but  restless  discontent,  since 
to  him  life  means  endless  growth  in  life.  Tonic  value  of  his  teaching 
for  such  an  age  as  ours. 


23 


TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  The  value  of  Browning's  Cleon  as  compared  with  a  philosophical 

argument  against  epicureanism. 

2.  Browning's  view  of  Christianity  as  implied  in  Cleon. 

3.  Contrast  true  originality  with  Cleon 's  view  of  originality. 

4.  The  causes  of  Cleon 's  despair. 

5.  If  faith  in  immortality  be  lost,  is  there  any  answer  to  Cleon's 

despair? 

6.  The  quality  and  music  of  the  verse  in  Cleon.     Compare  in  Rabbi 

Ben  Ezra,  Abt  Vogler  and  Andrea  del  Sarto. 

7.  The  imagery  in  Cleon.      Compare  that  in  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra,  Abt 

Vogler  and  Andrea  del  Sarto. 

8.  Browning's  use  of  the  "tower"  image. 

9.  Compare  Cleon  and  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra  in  the  view  taken  of  human 

discontent. 

10.  Compare  the  view  of  old  age  in  Cleon  and  Rabbi  Ben  Ezra.     What 

causes  the  difference? 

11.  How  can  Browning's  philosophy  of  life  be  discovered  in  Cleon? 

12.  The  type  of  classical  interest  in  Browning. 

13.  Browning's    interpretation    of    Greece:     compare    Cleon    with 

Balaustion's  Adventure  and  Aristophanes'  Apology. 


REFERENCES. 

Browning,  **Cleon;  * Balaustion's  Adventure;  * Aristophanes'  Apology; 
*A  Death  in  the  Desert.  The  Bible,  *Acts,  chapter  XVII.  Bradford, 
Spiritual  Lessons  from  the  Brownings.  Brooke,  Poetry  of  Browning, 
chapters  XI,  XII,  imaginative  Representation.  Bury,  Browning's 
Philosophy.  Hyde,  Art  of  Optimism  as  Taught  by  Browning.  Jones, 
Browning  as  a  Philosophical  and  Religious  Teacher.  Nettleship, 
*  Robert  Browning,  pp.  326-338.  Pigou,  Browning  as  a  Religious 
Teacher. 


34 


V.  THE  TRAGEDY  OF  THE  PURSUIT  OF  KNOWL- 
EDGE: PARACELSUS. 

"We  turn  with  stronger  needs  to  the  genius  of  an  opposite  tendency 
— the  subjective  poet  of  modern  classification.  He,  gifted  like  the 
objective  poet,  with  the  fuller  perception  of  nature  and  man,  is  im- 
pelled to  embody  the  thing  he  perceives,  not  so  much  with  reference 
to  the  many  below  as  to  the  One  above  him,  the  supreme  Intelligence 
which  apprehends  all  things  in  their  absolute  truth, — an  ultimate 
view  ever  aspired  to,  if  but  partially  attained,  by  the  poet's  own  soul. 
Not  what  man  sees,  but  what  God  sees, — the  Ideas  of  Plato,  seeds  of 
creation  lying  burningly  on  the  Divine  Hand, — it  is  toward  these  that 
he  struggles.  Not  with  the  combination  of  humanity  in  action,  but 
with  the  primal  elements  of  humanity,  he  has  to  do;  and  he  digs 
where  he  stands, — preferring  to  seek  them  in  his  own  soul  as  the  nearest 
reflex  of  that  absolute  Mind,  according  to  the  intuitions  of  which  he 
desires  to  perceive  and  speak.  Such  a  poet  does  not  deal  habitually 
with  the  picturesque  groupings  and  tempestuous  tossings  of  the  forest 
trees,  but  with  their  roots  and  fibres  naked  to  the  chalk  and  stone. 
He  does  not  paint  pictures  and  hang  them  on  the  walls,  but  rather 
carries  them  on  the  retina  of  his  own  eyes:  we  must  look  deep  into 
his  human  eyes,  to  see  those  pictures  on  them.  He  is  rather  a  seer, 
accordingly,  than  a  fashioner,  and  what  he  produces  will  be  less  a 
work  than  an  effluence.  That  effluence  cannot  be  easily  considered 
in  abstraction  from  his  personality, — being  indeed  the  very  radiance 
and  aroma  of  his  personality,  projected  from  it  but  not  separated. 
Therefore,  in  our  approach  to  the  poetry,  we  necessarily  approach 
the  personality  of  the  poet;  in  apprehending  it  we  apprehend  him, 
and  certainly  we  cannot  love  it  without  loving  him.  Both  for  love's 
and  for  understanding's  sake  we  desire  to  know  him,  and,  as  readers 
of  his  poetry,  must  be  readers  of  his  biography  also." 

— Browning,  Essay  on  Shelley,  pp.  283,  284. 


LECTURE   OUTLINE. 

Introduction. — The  brief  poems  of  Browning's  mature  manhood  as 
the  most  characteristic  expression  of  his  genius  in  both  thought  and 
form.  Return  from  these  to  the  period  of  Browning's  youth  and  to 
the  work  which  was  prophetic  of  all  he  was  to  accomplish. 

Thus  Paracelsus,  published  when  Browning  was  23,  of  great  interest 

25 


in  connection  with  his  development.  Distinctly  a  young  man's  poem, 
with  the  restlessness,  vast  ambitions  and  youthful  sense  of  failure 
that  so  often  mark  adolescent  genius;  yet  treating  deep  ethical  and 
psychological  problems  with  remarkable  insight  into  human  life. 
Interesting  how  many  of  Browning's  central  teachings  find  expression 
in  this  first  great  poem. 

Further,  Paracelsus  interpreting  a  remarkable  epoch  of  human  life, 
and  as  a  poem  characterized  by  great  beauty  in  its  highest  portions. 
Thus  variety  of  points  of  view  from  which  the  poem  may  be  studied. 

The  historical  Paracelsus  (1493?- 1541). — The  Paracelsus  who  lived 
in  the  early  sixteenth  century  a  man  of  remarkable  and  original  genius. 
Breaking  away  from  his  early  conventional  studies;  dedicating  him- 
self to  the  study  (1)  Of  empirical  science,  not  through  books,  but 
through  direct  investigation  in  chemistry  and  medicine;  (2)  Of  all 
phases  of  human  life;  (3)  Of  mystical  philosophy.  Significance  of 
the  combination  of  his  interests:  compare  Giordano  Bruno.  Much 
of  his  teaching  since  proved  erroneous,  yet  many  ideas  and  discoveries 
of  permanent  value.  In  the  sixteenth  century  still  possible  to  believe 
in  the  philosopher's  stone  and  the  elixir  of  life.  Hence  superstitions 
of  Paracelsus  and  seeming  traits  of  the  charlatan.  Yet  sincerity  ot 
Paracelsus.  A  pathmaker,  bitterly  contemptuous  toward  established 
learning,  naturally  violently  opposed  by  conventional  teachers.  His 
wide  travels  and  varied  contact  with  human  life.  Circumstances  of 
his  death  at  Salzburg  in  1541.  Value  of  his  mystical  philosophy  and 
range  of  his  real  contribution.  His  relation  to  the  scientific  and 
theological  upheaval  in  the  time  of  Erasmus  and  Luther. 

The  poem  in  relation  to  the  history. — Attraction  to  Browning  in  such 
a  character  as  Paracelsus;  attacked  as  charlatan  but  aspiring  out  and 
beyond  mankind.  Significance  that  Browning  chose  Paracelsus  as 
the  subject  of  his  first  great  work.  Compare  the  first  scenes  of  Faust 
written  before  Goethe  was  25.  The  youth  of  genius  as  expressed  in 
Browning. 

Truth  of  the  poem  to  the  historical  Paracelsus.  Browning's  claim: 
how  far  justified.  Vitality  of  his  interpretation  of  the  epoch,  what- 
ever be  the  verdict  regarding  his  rendering  of  the  historical  character. 

Form  of  the  poem. — Paracelsus  really  five  dramatic  monologues, 
with  the  interjection  of  a  few  questions,  suggestions  and  comments 
by  the  friends  ot*  the  chief  character.  The  dramatic  monologue  here 
brought  less  strictly  within  true  artistic  limits  than  in  the  great  poems 
of  Browning's  middle  period.  Yet  vigor  of  his  use  of  it  and  char- 
acteristic expression  of  his  interest  in  human  life. 

Beauty  and  freedom  of  the  blank  verse.  The  number  of  passages  of 
unusual  excellence.     The  larger  amount  of  nature  description  than  in 

26 


Browning's  later  work.  Exquisiteness  of  the  inserted  lyrics;  how 
they  show  Shelley's  influence.  The  highest  passages  of  Paracelsus 
as  rising  in  poetic  beauty  to  the  level  of  Browning's  best  work. 

Scene  I. — Wiirzburg,  1512;  Paracelsus,  19.  His  farewell  to  his 
friends,  Festus  and  Michal  (wife  of  Festus),  before  his  departure  on 
his  wandering  travels.  His  discontent  with  the  university  work; 
aspiration  toward  a  more  real  and  universal  knowledge.  His  sense 
that  it  would  be  death  to  live  the  commonplace  life — even  of  learn- 
ing. This  attitude  as  marking  the  youth  of  genius.  Good  and  evil 
in  it:   compare  in  Faust,  Goethe,  Browning. 

Friendship  with  Festus. — Relation  of  the  two  young  men  to  each 
other.  Remonstrances  of  Festus  and  Michal,  yet  faith  in  their  friend 
and  in  his  vast  dreams.  Measure  of  dramatic  reality  in  Festus  and 
Michal. 

The  aim  of  Paracelsus. — Vagueness  of  the  aspirations  of  Paracelsus, 
yet  centering  on  the  hunger  to  know.  Compare  Faust's  desire.  Danger 
in  the  pride  that  seeks  to  be  apart  and  above  mankind. 

Why  Paracelsus  turns  to  a  life  of  wandering  in  order  to  fulfil  his 
aim.  Compare  the  pot  of  gold  at  the  end  of  the  rainbow — the  notion 
that  somewhere  else  is  all  that  we  desire.  "Wo  du  nicht  bist,  dort 
ist  das  Gliick! "  This  notion  as  always  characteristic  of  youth.  Pathos 
in  its  expression  in  Paracelsus;   yet  deeper  significance. 

Relation  of  the  aspiration  of  Paracelsus  to  mankind.  Essential 
purity  and  loftiness  of  his  aim;  yet  a  certain  arrogance.  Distinction 
between  working  for  the  adventitious  applause  of  the  world  and  desir- 
ing the  warm  human  response.  How  the  intellect  isolates  while  the 
heart  unites.  Hence  loneliness  of  Paracelsus;  compare  Leonardo 
da  Vinci  and  Giordano  Bruno. 

The  theory  of  Paracelsus  that  truth  is  within  ourselves:  is  it  Brown- 
ing's? Measure  of  truth  and  error  in  the  conception;  its  relation  to 
the  character  of  Paracelsus. 

Scene  I  as  a  remarkable  expression  of  the  enthusiasms  and  ambi- 
tions of  the  youth  of  genius. 

Scene  II. — Paracelsus,  after  nine  years  of  wandering,  at  the  house 
of  a  Greek  fortune-teller  in  Constantinople,  writing  out  the  disappoint- 
ing story  of  his  life.  Dramatic  irony  in  the  title  "Paracelsus  attains." 
Paracelsus  wakening  not  only  to  a  sense  of  failure,  but  to  a  recognition 
of  the  forfeiting  of  the  joys  of  common  human  life  which  the  vain 
pursuit  of  his  aim  has  involved.  Compare  St.  Francis  of  Assisi;  Cleon; 
Faust  in  scene  I. 

Aprile. — Meeting  with  the  dying  poet.  Aprile  failing  in  seeking 
to  love  infinitely,  as  Paracelsus  to  know  infinitely.  In  both  not  only 
the  opposition  between  love  and  knowledge,  but  a  striving  for  the 

27 


whole  of  the  aspect  sought,  while  neglecting  the  slow,  step-by-step 
process  through  which  either  is  attained.  Compare  the  failure  of 
Arniel.  Yet  to  recognize  the  nature  and  meaning  of  one's  failure, 
as  Paracelsus  partially  does,  after  all,  attainment. 

Scene  III:  apparent  success. — Festus  visiting  his  friend  at  Basile 
fourteen  years  after  scene  I.  Paracelsus  famous  and  with  hosts  of 
followers  in  the  university,  where  he  has  been  appointed  to  a  professor- 
ship. Yet  applauded  for  what  he  considers  his  weakness  and  failure, 
while  his  real  aims  remain  as  unrecognized  as  unattained.  Bitterness 
in  such  a  situation.  How  the  world  unconsciously  spoils  a  leader  by 
compelling  him  to  dwell  in  the  adventitious. 

Paracelsus's  confession  of  himself  to  Festus;  relief  in  such  a  self- 
revelation.  Hunger  of  Paracelsus  that  his  friend  may  see  through 
the  vanity  of  his  success  to  his  inner  degradation  and  despair,  that  is, 
his  reality. 

Scathing  arraignment  of  the  popular  teacher's  audience.  How  they 
tempt  him  to  charlatanry.  Compare  Mr.  Sludge,  "the  Medium." 
Yet  the  truth  regarding  his  audience  Paracelsus  fails  to  see. 

Scene  III  as  the  tragedy  of  a  leader's  sufferings.  Beautiful  poetry 
into  which  the  scene  rises  toward  its  close. 

Scene  IV. — Dismissal  of  Paracelsus  because  he  chose  to  speak  the 
truth  instead  of  giving  his  audience  the  pretense  they  desired.  Deeply 
wounded,  Paracelsus  expressing  his  despair  in  a  wild  flame  of  laughter, 
enthusiasm,  contempt.  Like  Faust  reacting  against  the  failure  of 
the  intellect  to  what  seems  most  real — the  uncontrolled  life  of  the 
senses.  Significance  that  Browning,  like  Goethe,  wrote  this  study  of 
restless  reaction  so  early. 

Impossibility  of  returning  to  lost  youth  and  the  forfeited  oppor- 
tunities of  the  common  life.  Michal's  death  the  last  touch  to  the 
despair  of  Paracelsus. 

Scene  V. — Festus  with  his  dying  friend,  29  years  since  the  first  scene. 
How  splendidly  Festus  rises  in  this  last  scene.  Value  in  human  life 
of  such  an  unequal  friendship. 

Wonderful  revelation  of  Paracelsus's  life  and  experience  in  the 
broken  wanderings  of  his  dying  brain.  His  sincerity  through  all, 
hence  reality  of  his  character. 

Paracelsus's  attainment.— Pride  suppressed  at  last.  Now,  at  the 
end,  achievement  of  conceptions  that  make  all  life  lie  clear  in  the 
perspective  of  the  dying  hour.  Ideas  that  make  up  Paracelsus's 
attainment:  (1)  At  last,  conception  of  Cod,  of  unity  in  all  life,  and 
of  the  relation  of  man  to  Cod.  (2)  Recognition  of  the  nature  and 
meaning  <>f  human  life,  its  Btrength  and  weakness.  (3)  Conception 
of  the  relal  ion  of  man  to  nature,  and  of  man  to  his  fellows  in  the  solidar- 

2s; 


ity  of  mankind.  (4)  Conception  of  the  relation  of  a  leader  to  his 
followers,  and  appreciation  of  the  higher  truth  of  common  life.  (5) 
Lastly,  recognition  by  Paracelsus  of  the  reasons  for  his  own  failure. 

Significance  of  such  an  attainment.  The  range  of  Browning's 
central  teachings  expressed  in  it.  Marvelous  rising  of  the  poem  toward 
its  close. 

Value  of  the  poem. — Paracelsus  as  a  work  of  art:  chief  merits  and 
faults.  Value  of  the  poem  as  an  interpretation  of  an  epoch;  as  a 
study  of  great  and  permanent  problems;  as  an  expression  of  the  char- 
acter and  development  of  the  poet  who  gave  it  birth  in  his  youth. 

TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  In  what  ways  is  Paracelsus  typical  of  Browning's  greatest  work? 

2.  What  are  the  chief  faults  of  the  monologue  in  Paracelsus? 

3.  The  treatment  of  friendship  in  Paracelsus. 

4.  The  relative  value  of  the  lyrics  in  Paracelsus. 

5.  Browning's  character-drawing  in  Paracelsus. 

6.  Compare  Paracelsus  and  Faust. 

7.  Contrast  the  treatment  of  Nature  in  Paracelsus  and  in  Goethe's 

Sorrows  of  Werther. 

8.  Compare  Pauline  and  Paracelsus. 

9.  In  what  does  the  central  interest  of  Paracelsus  lie:  in  the  study 

of  personality,  the  interpretation  of  an  epoch,  or  the  presenta- 
tion of  a  great  ethical  problem? 

10.  Compare  Paracelsus  with  Tennyson's  early  work. 

11.  Compare  the  problem  of  Paracelsus  with  that  presented     in 

Sordello. 

12.  Why  is  Paracelsus  so  much  easier  to  read  than  Sordello? 

13.  Contrast  Browning's  poetic  method  in  Paracelsus  and  in  Pippa 

Passes:  which  produces  the  higher  result? 

14.  Compare   in   artistic   effectiveness   Paracelsus   and   the   poems 

previously  studied. 

REFERENCES. 

Browning,  **Paracelsus;  *Pippa  Passes;  *Sordello;  *Pauline, 
Berdoe,  Browning's  Message  to  His  Time,  pp.  145-192,  *Paracelsus: 
The  Reformer  of  Medicine.  Brooke,  Poetry  of  Browning,  chapter  IV, 
pp.  115-140.  Buck,  Browning's  Paracelsus  and  Other  Essays,  pp. 
13-60.  Chesterton,  ^Robert  Browning.  Dowden,  Robert  Browning, 
chapter  II.  Fotheringham,  Studies  of  the  Mind  and  Art  of  Browning, 
chapter  V.  Royce,  The  Problem  of  Paracelsus,  Boston  Browning 
Society  Papers,  pp.  221-248. 

29 


VL     BROWNING'S     PHILOSOPHY     OF     ART     AND 
LIFE:    THE  RING   AND    THE    BOOK. 

"Lean  one  lesson  hence 
Of  many  which  whatever  lives  should  teach: 
This  lesson,  that  our  human  speech  is  naught, 
Our  human  testimony  false,  our  fame 
And  human  estimation  words  and  wind. 
Why  take  the  artistic  way  to  prove  so  much? 
Because,  it  is  the  glory  and  good  of  Art. 
That  Art  remains  the  one  way  possible 
Of  speaking  truth,  to  mouths  like  mine  at  least. 
******* 

Art. — wherein  man  nowise  speaks  to  men. 
Only  to  mankind, — Art  may  tell  B  truth 
Obliquely,  do  the  thing  shall  breed  the  thought. 
Nor  wrong  the  thought,  missing  the  mediate  word. 
So  may  you  paint  your  picture,  twice  show  truth. 
Beyond  mere  imagery  on  the  wall. — 
So.  note  by  note,  bring  music  from  your  mind, 
Deeper  than  ever  e'en  Beethoven  dived. — 
So  write  a  book  shall  mean  beyond  the  facts. 
Suffice  the  eye  and  save  the  soul  beside." 

— The  Ring  and  the  Book,  volume  II.  p.  329. 


LECTURE   OUTLINE. 

Introduction. —  The  Ring  and  the  Book  Browning's  longest  poem  and 
in  some  respects  his  masterpiece.  Composition  in  the  culminating 
period  of  his  work,  thus  representing  his  ripest  thought  and  fullest 
poetic  power.  Though  so  long  a  poem,  true  to  Browning's  char- 
acteristic poetic  method,  the  dramatic  monologue.  The  Ring  and 
the  Book  a  scries  of  dramatic  monologues  centering  upon  one  theme. 
Thus  each  portion  of  the  poem  fulfilling  the  functions  of  the  brief 
dramatic  monologues:  yet  in  The  Ring  and  the  Book  further:  (1)  The 
study  of  the  reaction  of  the  different  characters  upon  each  other;  (2)  The 
study  of  one  series  of  events  in  relation  to  a  group  of  individuals. 

30 


Thus  a  much  broader  weaving  of  the  web  of  human  life  than  in  the 
shorter  poems.  Not  only  the  study  of  the  same  critical  moment  in 
the  lives  of  the  different  individuals,  but  the  working  out  of  all  the 
complicated  action  and  reaction  of  these  upon  each  other.  Thus 
The  Ring  and  the  Book  the  best  opportunity  to  study  Browning's 
philosophy  of  art  and  life. 

Subject  of  The  Ring  and  the  Book. — The  Roman  murder  case  of 
1698:  such  a  story  as  the  modern  sensational  newspaper  would  exploit 
to  the  debauching  of  its  readers.  Browning's  finding  of  the  book, 
part  print,  part  manuscript,  relating  to  the  trial.  The  story  in  brief. 
This  as  the  story  retold,  from  his  own  point  of  view,  by  each  of  the 
speakers  and  actors  in  the  poem. 

Truth  versus  fact. — The  painful  story  of  the  murder  case  not  only 
a  basis  for  pernicious  gossip,  but  material  through  which  one  may 
see  reverently  into  human  life.     The  book  as  containing: 

"Pure  crude  fact 
Secreted  from  man's  life  when  hearts  beat  hard, 
And  brains,  high-blooded,  ticked  two  centuries  since." 

Distinction  between  facts  and  truth.  Facts  the  material  through 
which  truth  may  be  discovered.  How  facts  may  lie.  The  greatest 
test  of  the  intellect,  and  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  character,  the  ability 
to  see  what  facts  mean.  The  meaning  of  any  expression  of  a  human 
life  evident  only  in  true  relation  to  the  whole  life  embodied.  Thus 
the  evil  of  gossip  that  it  paws  over  the  external  expressions  of  char- 
acter utterly  out  of  relation  to  the  life  clothed  in  them. 

Thus  Browning's  view  of  truth  in  relation  to  life.  We  see  the  world 
from  the  point  of  our  own  experience  and  character.  For  man  truth 
relative;  no  view  absolute.  Hence  the  vision  dependent  upon  char- 
acter: to  see  truth  one  must  be  true.  The  reaction  of  an  individual 
upon  any  series  of  events  a  test  and  revelation  of  his  character.  Other 
factors  entering  into  the  appreciation  of  truth,  but  this  of  the  life 
the  basal  one.  Compare  the  people  who  always  ring  true;  who, 
brought  into  the  presence  of  a  new  range  of  facts,  pierce  unerringly 
through  them  to  what  they  half-conceal  and  half-reveal.  Such  people 
found  perhaps  as  often  among  those  unlearned  as  among  those  widely 
read  in  the  teaching  of  the  past,  though  all  sincere  contact  with  life 
helps  cultivate  such  insight. 

The  Ring  and  the  Book  as  the  application  of  this  principle  to  a  variety 
of  characters,  testing  and  revealing  each  by  his  reaction  on  the  central 
story. 

Browning's  theory  of  art. — His  view  of  truth  in  relation  to  fact  as 

31 


determining  Browning's  philosophy  of  art.  Because  presenting  truth 
in  relation  to  personality,  in  all  the  color  and  form  of  life,  art  able  to 
reveal  the  truth  as  is  possible  to  no  prosaic  statement  of  fact  in  science 
or  of  theory  in  philosophy.  Thus  the  lofty  function  of  art:  never 
merely  to  give  pleasure  (though  that  were  enough) ,  but  to  breed  wis- 
dom— the  insight  into  concrete  experience — to  "save  the  soul."  Brown- 
ing's unvarying  recognition  of  this  high  function  of  art  as  a  way  of 
life.  Fullest  statement  of  his  thought  in  The  Ring  and  the  Book.  As 
God  created  the  world,  so  art,  using  the  elements  of  God's  work,  creates 
its  world,  and  in  so  doing  reveals  the  truth  of  God's  world. 

Hence  the  image  of  the  poem:  the  goldsmith  takes  the  pure  gold  of 
the  mine,  mixes  alloy  to  work  it,  molds  it  into  the  ring  and  then  dissipates 
the  alloy.  There  remains  pure  gold,  but  more  than  gold — a  ring, 
to  carry  human  sentiment  and  seal  a  marriage.  So  Browning,  taking 
the  "pure  crude  fact"  of  this  Roman  murder  story,  brooding  over 
it  and  mixing  his  soul  with  it,  moulding  it  into  the  poem,  leaves  it 
gold,  but  gold  shapen  into  the  ring,  fact,  but  fact  interpreted,  its  truth 
revealed. 

How  this  process  tests  the  poet's  own  soul.  For  him  too  the  vision 
determined  by  the  moral  reality  of  his  character.  He  too  can  see 
truth  only  as  he  is  true.  Thus  revelation  of  Browning,  and  of  his 
character  and  life,  in  and  behind  all  the  figures  of  the  poem. 

The  first  Half-Rome. — Application  to  the  characters  of  the  poem 
of  the  theory  of  truth  in  relation  to  fact.  The  story  culminating  in 
the  murder  dropped  like  a  stone  into  the  midst  of  the  pond  of  public 
opinion  and  its  waves  rolling  either  way.  Thus  the  speaker  for  half- 
Rome  a  married  man,  suspicious  and  jealous  of  his  wife.  He  naturally 
sides  with  the  husband;  reacts  instantly  on  the  situation  from  the 
basis  of  his  own  experience.  Thus  half  the  world  chooses  a  side,  not 
because  that  side  is  or  is  not  the  truth,  but  because  through  tempera- 
ment, circumstances,  accident,  half  the  world  naturally  tends  that  way. 

The  other  Half- Rome. — Equally  accidental  the  reaction  of  the  other 
half  of  the  world.  The  speaker  for  this  half  an  unmarried  sentimental- 
ist, inclining  temperamentally  to  the  woman's  side  of  the  story.  No 
real  appreciation  of  Pompilia;  in  fact  admitting  what,  if  true,  would 
spoil  the  beauty  of  her  character.  Thus  this  speaker  and  the  half- 
Rome  he  represents  accidentally  on  the  side  that  happens  to  have 
the  truth,  but  without  real  recognition  of  the  truth. 

Tertium  Quid. — Always  when  the  world's  opinion  falls  into  two 
halves,  something  left  over:  the  reaction  of  the  third  somewhat,  the 
idle  rich  who  regard  themselves  as  aristocracy,  too  fine  to  take  sides 
in  the  quarrels  of  the  vulgar  world.  The  veneer  of  convention  separat- 
ing these  people  from  the  realities  of  human  life.     Their  false  notion 

32 


that  a  polite  cyniciam  toward  love  and  work  is  a  mark  of  their  superior 
culture.  A  whole  literature  cursed  with  this  damning  tendency. 
The  view  of  these  who  regard  themselves  as  the  fashionable  clique 
further  from  the  truth  than  that  of  either  half  of  common  opinion. 
Yet  Caponsacchi  one  of  the  Tertium  Quid.  The  power  of  nature's 
gentleman,  once  awakened,  to  go  beyond  the  man  of  other  type. 

Guido  Franceschini. — Browning  passing  next  from  the  world's 
reaction  to  the  central  characters  in  the  tragic  drama.  Guido  the 
criminal.  Compare  with  him  Goethe's  Mephistopheles  and  Shake- 
speare's Iago.  Guido 's  nature  mere  hate  and  malice.  As  he  is  utterly 
false,  so  no  perception  of  truth.  His  view  of  life  mere  loathsome 
falsehood.  Of  all  the  characters  of  the  poem,  his  darkness  the  farthest 
from  the  light  of  God's  truth. 

Machine-made  truth. — The  center  of  the  poem  and  the  crowning 
expression  of  Browning's  insight  into  human  life  in  Caponsacchi, 
Pompilia  and  The  Pope.  These  books  reserved  for  further  discussion. 
Not  content  with  studying  the  general  reactions  of  public  opinion, 
Browning  considers  further  the  process  the  world  sanctions  to  extract 
truth  from  facts  and  circumstances.  Thus  the  speeches  of  the  two 
hired  counsellors  whose  business  it  is  to  find  one  side  of  the  story  true. 
Effect  of  this  attitude  on  their  ability  to  see  the  truth.  Browning's 
scathing  arraignment  of  the  process  of  law.  His  view  that  the  lawyer, 
paid  to  see  the  truth  all  on  one  side,  is  biased  beforehand  so  that  there 
is  no  hope  of  his  seeing  into  the  heart  of  such  a  human  tragedy  as  fur- 
nishes the  theme  of  the  poem.  Measure  of  justice  in  Browning's 
attitude.     Compare  the  views  of  great  lawyers  such  as  Lincoln. 

Thus  the  defender  of  Guido:  garrulous,  conceited,  pompous,  aiming 
to  present  a  brilliant  classical  argument  in  defense  of  Guido  and  thus 
conquer  his  legal  adversary.  The  one  touch  of  humanity  in  him  his 
love  of  his  boy. 

So  the  opposing  counsel:  Pompilia's  defender  seeking  through  the 
finesse  of  argumentation  to  work  upon  the  judges.  His  utter  failure 
to  appreciate  Pompilia  and  Caponsacchi;  compare  what  he  is  willing 
to  concede  regarding  them !  Something  terrible  in  this  machine  process 
of  law  which,  after  all,  merely  interprets  and  carries  further  the  reac- 
tion of  the  two  halves  of  Rome. 

Conclusion. — Thus  the  relation  of  the  different  types  and  individuals 
to  the  truth;  but  behind  them  all  Browning.  His  moral  reality,  his 
experience,  his  contact  with  human  life  as  his  equipment  for  inter- 
preting the  human  story.  The  full  exemplification  of  his  own 
philosophy  of  art  in  the  poem. 


*3 


TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  Compare  in  poetic  method  Pippa  Passes  and  The  Ring  and  the 

Book:   which  method  is  the  more  effective? 

2.  Compare  in  artistic  and  philosophic  value  Paracelsus  and  The 

Ring  and  the  Book. 

3.  Browning's  theory  of  art. 

4.  Browning's  view  of  the  sources  of  insight  into  the  truth  of  human 

life. 

5.  Could  any  of  the  books  of  The  Ring  and  the  Book  be  omitted 

or  much  shortened  without  seriously  hampering  Browning's 
aim? 

6.  Is  Guido  a  possible  character? 

7.  Compare  Guido  with  Goethe's  Mephistopheles  and  Shakespeare's 

Iago. 

8.  Compare  the  measure  of  insight  into  human  life  in  the  Tertium 

Quid  and  the  two  halves  of  Rome. 

9.  Is  Browning's  view  of  the  legal  counsellors  and  the  process  of 

law  just? 

10.  Compare  in  artistic  and  philosophic  value   The  Ring  and  the 

Book  and  the  brief  poems  studied. 

11.  How  far  does  Browning  fulfil  his  own  theory  of  art  in  The  Ring 

and  the  Book? 


REFERENCES. 

Browning,  **The  Ring  and  the  Book,  books  I-V,  VIII,  IX,  XI, 
XII;  **Essay  on  Shelley.  Alexander,  Introduction  to  Browning, 
chapter  IV.  Brooke,  Poetry  of  Browning,  chapter  XVI,  pp.  391-413. 
Dorchester,  ^Browning's  Philosophy  of  Art,  Boston  Browning  Society 
Papers,  pp.  99-117.  Dowden,  *Robert  Browning,  chapter  XII.  John- 
son, Conscience  and  Art  in  Browning.  Scudder,  The  Life  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  Modern  English  Poets,  chapter  V.  Thomson,  Biographical  and 
Critical  Studies,  pp.  458-477.  West,  *One  Aspect  of  Browning's 
Villains. 


34 


VII.     THE     CROWNING     REVELATION    OF    MAN- 
HOOD: CAPONSACCHI. 

"And  surely  not  so  very  much  apart 
Need  I  place  thee,  my  warrior-priest, — in  whom 
What  if  I  gain  the  other  rose,  the  gold, 
We  grave  to  imitate  God's  miracle. 

Be  glad  thou  hast  let  light  into  the  world 
Through  that  irregular  breach  o'  the  boundary, — see 
The  same  upon  thy  path  and  march  assured, 
Learning  anew  the  use  of  soldiership, 
Self-abnegation,  freedom  from  all  fear, 
Loyalty  to  the  life's  end!     Ruminate, 
Deserve  the  initiatory  spasm, — once  more 
Work,  be  unhappy  but  bear  life,  my  son!" 

— The  Pope's  estimate  of  Caponsacchi,  The  Ring  and  the  Book,  vol.  II, 
pp.  196-200. 


LECTURE   OUTLINE. 

Introduction. — The  preparation  for  Caponsacchi.  Culmination  of 
the  poem  in  the  monologues  by  him  and  by  Pompilia.  Caponsacchi 's 
the  most  perfectly  dramatic  of  all  the  monologues  of  the  poem.  Com- 
pare how  Browning  shows  greatest  dramatic  truth  in  portraying  a 
character  like  himself.  Contrast  Shakespeare's  ability  to  paint  with 
equal  truth  a  Desdemona,  an  Othello  and  an  Iago. 

Situation  at  the  opening  of  Caponsacchi 's  monologue:  Pompilia 
in  the  hospital  dying  of  the  stabs  inflicted  by  her  husband:  Caponsacchi, 
who  sought  to  save  her,  recalled  by  the  judges  who  had  sentenced 
him  for  his  attempt,  and  asked  to  tell  once  more  the  story  by  the 
light  of  the  terrible  event.  His  whole  nature  quivering  under  the 
tragedy.  How  his  splendid  manhood  shines  forth  in  the  broken 
utterances  but  majestic  spirit  in  which  he  begins  his  statement. 

The  relation  of  Caponsacchi  to  the  truth. — Of  all  the  characters  of 
the  poem,  Caponsacchi  nearest  the  heart  of  the  truth,  with  the  one 

30 


exception  of  Pompilia.  The  cause  of  this  the  truth  of  his  spirit.  Thus 
the  many  expressions  of  his  relation  to  the  truth.  Compare  (lines 
116-127)  his  sense  that  the  truth  is  now  evident,  but  too  late  to  save 
Pompilia!  His  perception  (lines  140-143)  that  one  great  lesson  of 
life  is  recognizing  our  own  failure.  His  desire  to  show  the  judges  the 
truth,  that  is,  "Pompilia  who  is  true,"  that  they  may  appreciate  her 
nobility  and  the  truth  thus  be  helpful  to  human  beings  in  new  cases 
that  arise  (lines  146-172). 

Caponsacchi's  meaning  in  saying  Pompilia  has  done  the  good  to 
him.  Significance  that  he  can  say  it  in  the  presence  of  the  terrible 
tragedy.  How  through  Pompilia  Caponsacchi  was  born  into  love 
and  truth.  Thus  the  marvel  of  personal  life.  Love  and  truth  as  the 
two  absolute  ends  of  the  human  spirit.  Caponsacchi's  hunger  to 
serve  Pompilia  in  the  one  poor  way  remaining  to  him:  the  telling  once 
more  of  the  story  that  her  truth  may  appear. 

The  story  of  Caponsacchi's  life. — How  Caponsacchi  came  to  be  a 
priest;  his  vows  discounted  before  taken.  His  careless  life  before 
Pompilia  touched  him  and  his  soul  wakened — the  mere  butterfly 
sipping  the  honey  of  every  garden-flower.  Caponsacchi  before  his 
great  experience  as  a  perfect  type  of  the  Tertium  Quid. 

His  first  sight  of  Pompilia.  How  immediately  each  soul  recognized 
the  other.  Browning's  success  in  making  Pompilia  stand  out  vividly 
before  our  eyes  through  the  few  lines  of  Caponsacchi's  description. 
Contrast  the  vagueness  of  Michal  in  Paracelsus. 

The  reaching  out  of  Caponsacchi's  soul  to  help  Pompilia;  significance 
of  this  attitude.  Guido's  malicious  scheme  to  trap  both  wife  and 
priest  in  a  ruin  that  would  glut  his  hate.  Opposite  result  because 
of  the  truth  of  those  he  would  make  his  victims. 

Pompilia's  appeal. — Pompilia's  first  call  to  Caponsacchi  to  save  her 
life  for  the  sake  of  the  life  God  had  trusted  to  her.  How  each  instantly 
recognized  the  other's  truth  and  thus  pierced  at  once  through  Guido's 
miserable  cheat.  How  love  means  such  a  recognition  of  one  personality 
by  another. 

Caponsacchi's  answer. — The  strange  first  effect  of  Pompilia's  appeal 
upon  Caponsacchi:  his  awakening  to  the  majestic  laws  underlying 
all  life  and  hence  his  life.  Thus  turned  back  upon  the  vows  and  duties 
he  had  been  ignoring,  but  which  take  on  new  sacredness  through  the 
birth  of  his  soul.  Truth  of  this  to  human  character,  and  remarkable 
evidence  of  Browning's  grasp  of  the  deepest  things  of  human  life. 
Compare  Miriam  and  Donatcllo  in  The  Marble  Faun. 

The  second  appeal. — Caponsacchi's  horizon  clearing;  his  recognition 
that  the  true  service  of  God  was  the  answering  of  the  individual  woman's 
need.     The  splendid  directness  with  which  he  performs  the  service. 

36 


The  ride  to  Rome. — Utter  reverence  of  Gaponsacchi  toward  Pompilia 
through  all  the  long  ride  together  for  the  sake  of  her  safety.  The 
source  of  his  reverence:   can  love  be  religion? 

Caponsacchi's  feeling  that  the  whole  world  must  be  transformed 
by  the  great  experience  that  has  come  to  him.  Thus  strange  to  him 
that  others  should  go  on  about  the  same  old  routine  of  life.  The  value  of 
a  great  experience  in  thus  helping  us  to  break  through  the  heavy  crust 
of  convention  and  custom  into  the  light  and  air  and  to  a  fresh  testing 
of  all  things  by  the  immediate  standards  of  the  soul.  How  all  Brown- 
ing's greatest  work  rests  upon  such  a  testing  of  life  through  his  own 
supreme  experience. 

The  situation  when  Guido  overtakes  Pompilia  and  Caponsacchi. 
How  it  appears  to  the  world;    the  truth  in  Browning's  view. 

The  court's  previous  judgment.  How  completely  the  several  judges 
failed  to  see  the  true  meaning  of  the  situation  because  of  their  character 
as  human  beings.  Caponsacchi 's  summing  up  of  the  whole  story 
for  the  judges  that  they  may  see  the  truth. 

Caponsacchi's  attitude  toward  Guido.  Is  he  right  in  regretting 
that  he  did  not  kill  Guido?  Terrible  power  in  the  lines  in  which  he 
compares  Guido  to  Judas  (lines  1858-1925). 

Caponsacchi  and  Pompilia. — Caponsacchi's  statement  that  when 
he  and  Pompilia  rushed  each  on  each,  the  spark  of  truth  was  struck 
out  from  their  souls  (lines  1785-1787);  and  that  he  "assuredly  did 
bow,  was  blessed  by  the  revelation  of  Pompilia"  (lines  1833-1841). 
Significance  of  his  insistence  upon  the  supreme  service  she  has  done 
him.  The  power  of  the  deepest  personal  experiences  to  develop  wis- 
dom and  insight  in  comparison  with  the  other  channels  through  which 
deep  lessons  may  be  learned. 

Caponsacchi's  different  uses  of  the  word  "love."  His  repudiation 
of  any  ordinary  use  of  the  word  in  describing  his  relation  to  Pompilia. 
Absence  in  his  attitude  toward  her  of  all  selfish  demand  to  be  answered 
and  satisfied.  But  hunger  to  serve  her  evermore,  to  lift  up  and  pro- 
tect and  bless  her.  Deep,  reverent,  tender  reaching  out  of  his  spirit 
toward  her.  Did  Caponsacchi  love  Pompilia?  The  plane  upon  which 
the  word  must  be  used  if  we  answer  affirmatively. 

Caponsacchi's  description  of  her  face:  how  wonderfully  Browning 
has  grown  since  portraying  Michal  and  Palma.  Sources  of  his  power 
here. 

The  dream  of  what  might  have  been  but  never  can  be!  How  Capon- 
sacchi rises,  and  with  what  frankness  he  can  tell  his  dream  of  what 
life  would  be  with  her,  because  of  the  purity  of  his  attitude  and — 
because  she  lies  dying!  The  moving  power  of  the  poetry :  was  Brown- 
ing dreaming  over  his  own  supreme  loss? 

37 


Caponsacchi's  closing  view  of  life. — The  way  life  withdraws,  and  the 
perspective  of  the  spirit  in  which  it  appears,  through  the  effect  of  the 
great  tragedy.  Caponsacchi's  unwavering  recognition  that  God's 
sun  shines,  even  though  his  own  life  be  utterly  in  the  shadow.  Signifi- 
cance that  he  can  accept  with  such  splendid  heroism  in  the  face  of  all 
that  has  come  to  him.      Source  of  his  power  to  keep  the  truth  of  life. 

Browning's  view  that  it  is  more  important  to  love  than  to  be  loved. 
The  relative  effect  of  the  two  modes  of  love  upon  the  human  character. 
Compare  the  expression  of  the  same  truth  in  The  Last  Ride  Together, 
in  Evelyn  Hope,  in  Browning's  own  experience.  This  the  heart  of  all 
Browning's  philosophy  of  personal  life.  Thus  the  significance  of  that 
philosophy. 

Conclusion. — What  lies  ahead  for  Caponsacchi?  Compare  the 
souls  in  Dante's  second  limbo  who  "without  hope,  live  on  in  desire." 
Extent  to  which  the  description  applies  to  Caponsacchi.  Has  he 
bought  the  spiritual  vision  by  the  loss  of  certain  capacities  of  his  own 
life?     Must  it  be  so  purchased? 

The  splendid  heroism  and  majestic  manhood  with  which  the  book 
closes.  Is  there  in  all  literature  a  greater  portrayal  of  manhood  at 
once  human  and  spiritual,  masculine  and  transfigured,  supremely 
loving  but  utterly  without  selfish  demands? 

The  value  of  Caponsacchi  and  his  heroic  attitude  toward  life  for 
our  own  faith  and  experience. 


TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  The   measure   of   dramatic   truth   in    Browning's   portrayal   of 

Caponsacchi. 

2.  Compare  Caponsacchi  and  Paracelsus. 

3.  Browning's  view  of  personal  love. 

4.  The  significance  of  the  effect  upon  Caponsacchi  of  Pompilia's 

first  appeal  to  him. 

5.  In  what  ways  did  Pompilia  help  Caponsacchi? 

6.  Compare  Caponsacchi's  relation  to  Pompilia  with  Dante's  to 

Beatrice  in  the  Vita  Nuova. 

7.  What  is  the  relative  value  of  great  personal  experience  as  com- 

pared with  other  channels  through  which  wisdom  may  be 
attained? 

8.  Compare  Caponsacchi  and  Valence  in  Colombe's  Birthday. 

9.  Contrast  Caponsacchi  and  the  speaker  in  Fijinc  at  the  Fair. 

10.  Compare  Caponsacchi  anil  the  men  characters  of  The  Inn  Album, 

11.  The  relation  of  Caponsacchi  to  the  truth. 

38 


12.  What  makes  it  possible  for  Caponsacchi  to  accept  life  heroically 

in  spite  of  the  tragedy? 

13.  What  possible  future  could  there  be  for  Caponsacchi  at  the 

conclusion  of  his  part  in  the  tragedy? 
Compare  the  situation  of  Caponsacchi  with  that  of  the  souls  in 

the  second  limbo  of  Dante's  Inferno. 
Compare  the  view  of  personal  love  taken  in  The  Ring  and  the 

Book,  and  in  The  Last  Ride  Together,  Evelyn  Hope  and  Colombe's 

Birthday. 
16.  Compare  Caponsacchi  and  Shakespeare's  heroes. 


14. 


15 


REFERENCES. 


Browning,  **The  Ring  and  the  Book,  especially  book  VI,  ^Capon- 
sacchi; **The  Last  Ride  Together;  *Evelyn  Hope;  *Colombe's  Birthday; 
*Fifine  at  the  Fair;  *The  Inn  Album.  Buchanan,  Master  Spirits, 
pp.  89-109.  Cooke,  ^Browning's  Theory  of  Romantic  Love,  Boston 
Browning  Society  Papers,  pp.  84-98.  Innes,  Seers  and  Singers,  pp. 
99-124.  Jones,  *The  Uncalculating  Soul,  Boston  Browning  Society 
Papers,  pp.  130-152.  Machen,  The  Bible  in  Browning.  Morley, 
Studies  in  Literature,  pp.  255-285.  Nettleship,  Robert  Browning, 
pp.  9-45.     Sharp,  Victorian  Poets,  pp.  40-102. 


VIE.    BROWNING'S    INTERPRETATION    OF 
WOMANHOOD:    POMPILIA. 

"  Earth's  flower 
She  holds  up  to  the  softened  gaze  of  God!" 
— The  Pope's  estimate  of  Pompilia,  The  Ring  and  the  Book,  vol.  II, 
o.  194. 


LECTURE  OUTLINE. 

Introduction. — As  Caponsacchi  is  Browning's  highest  interpreta- 
tion of  manhood,  so  Pompilia  his  most  wonderful  reading  of  the 
woman  soul.  These  two  characters  unique  in  literature:  and  the 
books  portraying  them  as  the  heart  of  the  whole  poem. 

The  relation  of  Browning's  Pompilia  to  the  character  revealed  in 
the  documents  of  the  murder  case.  Browning's  statement  that  he 
found  her  substantially  as  he  has  portrayed  her.  If  so,  the  more 
wonder  that  life  and  not  art  could  produce  this  miracle  of  transfigured 
womanhood.  Browning's  art  none  the  less  wonderful  in  revealing 
her  to  us  than  if  she  were  entirely  the  creation  of  his  own  imagination. 
Of  all  the  characters  of  the  story,  Pompilia  most  of  all  burning  up  into 
the  pure,  white  light  of  truth,  because  of  them  all  she  is  most  utterly 
true. 

Artistic  qualities  of  book  VII. — Browning's  portrayal  of  Pompilia 
less  perfectly  true  dramatically  than  his  Caponsacchi.  Words  and 
images  occasionally  used  by  Pompilia  not  entirely  in  keeping  with 
her  experience  and  knowledge.  Compare  Shakespeare's  lifting  a 
character  to  a  plane  of  more  complete  expression  with  Browning's 
tendency  to  make  his  characters  at  times  speak  his  own  language  as 
well  as  thoughts.     What  this  indicates  of  Browning's  dramatic  power. 

Yet  substantial  truth  to  her  character  in  Pompilia's  dramatic  mono- 
logue. How  Browning  makes  her  live  for  us.  Contrast  the  dramatic 
power  here  and  in  the  portrayal  of  Michal  in  Paracelsus  and  Palma  in 
Sordello.  Exquisite  character  of  the  verse  and  imagery  in  the  most 
moving  portions  of  Pompilia's  monologue. 

40 


Situation  in  book  VII. — Pompilia,  mortally  wounded  by  her  husband, 
dying  in  the  hospital;  but  before  going  gathers  her  strength  together 
and  tells  over  the  story  of  her  life  and  fate,  that  the  truth  (chiefly  for 
Caponsacchi's  sake)  may  appear. 

The  perspective  that  the  dying  hour  brings:  how  the  coarser  realities 
of  life  seem  to  fade  away  for  Pompilia,  and  only  the  spiritual  meaning 
underneath  to  stand  out  clearly.  Thus  her  sufferings  seem  far  away 
and  dream-like  to  her,  while  the  two  great  strongholds  of  her  faith 
in  life — her  child  and  Caponsacchi — stand  forth  unshadowed  by  the 
gloom  of  the  past. 

Pompilia's  story. — Pompilia's  review  of  her  life,  first  outlining  the 
brief  whole  and  then  going  over  in  detail  the  salient  points.  Her 
mother.  Violante's  deception.  Pompilia's  innocent  girlhood.  How 
she  grew  up  as  it  were  a  white  lily  sprung  from  a  dung-heap.  Her 
relation  to  her  foster-parents.  The  pathetic  story  of  her  marriage: 
Pompilia's  ignorance  as  well  as  utter  innocence. 

Pompilia's  relation  to  the  truth. — The  view  of  life  to  which  Pompilia 
has  come.  Her  perception  of  the  good  alone  as  permanent.  The 
dying  hour  acting  upon  her  spiritual  vision  like  Dante's  Lethe  and 
Eunoe  upon  his  view  of  life.  Pompilia's  perfect  trust:  is  it  justified? 
How  she  exemplifies  the  truth,  "Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they 
shall  see  God."  Her  insight  and  wisdom;  these  as  dependent,  not  at 
all  upon  ordinary  knowledge,  but  upon  her  character,  her  sufferings 
and  her  great  personal  experiences.  How  true  her  reaction  upon  every 
test  of  her  experience. 

Browning's  view  of  personal  life. — The  opportunity  in  portraying 
Pompilia  for  an  expression,  by  indirection,  of  Browning's  view  of  the 
most  intimate  relations  of  human  life.  Difficulty  in  discussing  these; 
purity  and  nobility  of  Browning's  attitude;  perhaps  nowhere  else  is 
his  contribution  so  important.  His  teaching  that  the  body  is  the 
garment  of  the  soul,  that  every  outer  expression  is  significant  only 
as  it  embodies  something  deeper  than  itself.  Thus  the  love  that  is  a 
consecration  of  the  spirit  as  what  makes  sacred  and  beautiful  all  rela- 
tions of  the  outer  life.  Hence  Pompilia  entirely  right  in  her  instinctive 
reaction  upon  her  relation  to  her  husband.  How  any  claim  of  "rights" 
or  "duties"  must  blemish  the  most  wonderful  relationship  of  human 
life.  The  bases  in  character  and  experience  of  Browning's  insight 
into  these  problems. 

Pompilia's  motherhood. — The  two  attitudes  toward  her  child  possible 
in  such  circumstances  as  Pompilia's:  (1)  Resentment  of  it  as  Guido's 
child;  (2)  A  more  intense  love  of  it  that  the  inheritance  of  Guido's 
hate  might  be  utterly  blotted  out  and  the  child  be  wholly  wrapped 
about  with  love.     Evidence  of  Pompilia's  heroic  womanhood  in  her 

41 


rising  to  the  noble  attitude.  Her  splendid  response  to  the  call  of  the 
life  deeper  than  her  life.  How  Pompilia  rises  at  the  point  where 
Goethe's  Margaret  goes  down. 

The  significance  of  Browning's  interpretation  of  womanhood.  How 
can  a  man  see  into  a  woman's  soul  as  he  reads  Pompilia's?  Sources 
of  his  power.     The  value  of  his  teaching  concerning  motherhood. 

Pompilia  and  Caponsacchi. — How  Pompilia  hungers  to  serve  Capon- 
sacchi,  as  he  her.  Thus  her  desire  to  make  the  truth — his  truth — 
appear.  Her  story  of  her  first  sight  of  him.  The  frankness  with 
which  she  expresses  how  her  spirit  immediately  went  out  to  him. 
Her  feeling  like  his  in  the  experience,  but  her  expression  even  more 
frank  and  transparent.  This  as  evidencing  the  higher  purity  of  her 
spirit  and  her  innocence  of  the  world.  How  Caponsacchi's  years  of 
careless  living  and  his  knowledge  of  the  world's  inevitable  reaction 
would  make  him  withhold  and  explain.  The  power  to  speak  frankly 
but  delicately  of  the  deepest  things  of  human  life  as  a  test  of  the  purity 
of  one's  own  character. 

Pompilia's  account  of  her  call  to  Caponsacchi  and  his  coming.  Her 
instantaneous  recognition  of  him.  How  love  involves  a  discovery  of 
one  life  by  another.  The  difference  in  Pompilia's  telling  of  the  story 
from  Caponsacchi's.  Browning's  skill  in  differentiating  the  two 
monologues,  with  equally  remarkable  character-drawing  in  each.  The 
revelation  in  Pompilia  of  what  is  essentially  and  permanently  woman- 
hood. Her  pride  in  Caponsacchi,  in  his  strength,  courage,  resource- 
fulness.    Her  cry: 

"Oh,  to  have  Caponsacchi  for  my  guide! 
Ever  the  face  upturned  to  mine,  the  hand 
Holding  my  hand  across  the  world, — a  sense 
That  reads,  as  only  such  can  read,  the  mark 
God  sets  on  woman,  signifying  so 
She  should — shall  peradventure — be  divine; 
Yet  'ware,  the  while,  how  weakness  mars  the  print 
And  makes  confusion,  leaves  the  thing  men  see." 

Pompilia's  sense  of  how  Caponsacchi  has  helped  her.  Her  desire, 
for  his  sake,  that  the  service  should  be  all  successful.  Her  instinc- 
tive recognition  that  she  has  the  easier,  Caponsacchi  the  harder,  part. 
Thus  the  closing  portion  of  her  monologue  devoted  wholly  to  him. 
The  marvelous  poetry  to  which  the  book  rises  and  with  which  it  con- 
cludes. Is  there  anywhere  a  more  glorious  song  of  what  personal  life 
ought  to  be,  and  may  be,  when  the  outer  life  is  the  garment  of  the 
inner,  and  love  is  a  desire,  not  to  take,  but  to  bless  evermore? 

42 


Pompilia's  exultant  acceptance  of  the  death  that  frees  her  from 
Guido.  Absence  of  any  spirit  of  hate  toward  him.  Thus  in  entire 
love  and  glad  acceptance  of  life  she  goes  out. 

The  final  judgment:  the  Pope. — Except  Browning's  own  view  the 
Pope  as  giving  the  final  judgment  of  the  story.  The  Pope's  character — 
old,  good,  long-experienced  in  men  and  books  alike.  How  he  prepares 
for  passing  judgment  on  Guido  and  his  fellow-murderers  by  reading  a 
history,  thus  gaining  a  spiritual  perspective.  His  summing  up  of 
each  of  the  three  principal  characters.     His  decision. 

The  Pope's  relation  to  the  truth.  His  the  wide,  balanced  vision 
of  life  in  relation,  due  to  a  good  character  crowned  by  learning  and 
widely  experienced  in  men  and  events.  Thus  his  the  judgment  nearest 
God's.  Yet  even  he,  Browning  thinks,  does  not  burn  up  into  the  white 
soul  of  the  truth  like  Pompilia  or  touch  the  heart  of  the  concrete  mean- 
ing of  life  like  Caponsacchi. 

The  poet  and  the  poem. — Behind  all  the  characters  of  The  Ring 
and  the  Book,  Browning.  His  equipment  to  get  at  the  truth:  compare 
in  character  and  temperament,  in  experience,  in  study  and  art.  Brown- 
ing's personal  life  as  the  basis  of  his  portrayal  of  Caponsacchi  and 
Pompilia;   the  light  this  fact  throws  on  the  meaning  of  personal  life. 


TOPICS  FOR  STUDY  AND  DISCUSSION. 

1.  The  measure  of  dramatic  truth  in  Pompilia's  monologue. 

2.  Compare  the  character-drawing  in  The  Ring  and  the  Book  and 

in  Paracelsus. 

3.  Pompilia's  relation  to  the  truth. 

4.  Compare  Pompilia's  insight  with  the  Pope's  wisdom. 

5.  Why  is  Pompilia  even  more  frank  than  Caponsacchi  in  telling 

the  story  of  their  relation  to  each  other? 

6.  Compare  Pompilia  and  Michal  in  Paracelsus. 

7.  Compare  Pompilia  and  Colombe  in  Colombe's  Birthday. 

8.  In  what  respects  does  Browning  excel  in  his  portrayal  of  woman- 

hood? 

9.  What  are  the  sources  of  Browning's  insight  into  womanhood? 

10.  Compare  Pompilia  and  Dante's  Beatrice. 

11.  Compare  Pompilia  and  Goethe's  Margaret. 

12.  Browning's  view  of  marriage. 

13.  Browning's  interpretation  of  motherhood. 

14.  Compare  Pompilia  with  Shakespeare's  heroines. 


48 


REFERENCES. 

Browning,  **Thc  Ring  and  the  Book,  especially  book  VII,  **Pompilia, 
and  book  X,  *The  Pope;  **One  Word  More;  *By  the  Fireside;  *At  the 
Mermaid;  *House;  *Shop;  *Pisgah-Sighis;  *Numpholeptos;  *A  Forgive- 
ness; *Epilogue  to  Pacchiarotto;  *Reverie.  Brooke,  *Poetry  of  Robert 
Browning,  chapters  XIII,  XIV.  Bury,  Browning's  Philosophy.  Ches- 
terton, *  Robert  Browning.  Dawson,  Makers  of  Modern  English, 
chapters  XXX,  XXXI.  Dowden,  Studies  in  Literature,  pp.  191-239. 
Moulton,  Library  of  Literary  Criticism,  volume  VII,  pp.  677-720. 
Preston,  Robert  and  Elizabeth  Browning.  Ritchie,  Records  of  Tennyson, 
Ruskin  and  Browning,  pp.  197-311. 


44 


SUGGESTIONS   TO   STUDENTS. 


Browning  is  distinctly  a  poet  to  be  studied  rather  than  merely  read. 
While  much  of  his  poetry  can  be  enjoyed  at  a  single  reading,  hard 
work  is  necessary  to  give  one  a  full  grasp  of  his  message  and  apprecia- 
tion of  his  art.  Moreover,  his  best  work  has  at  least  one  mark  that 
classes  it  with  the  masterpieces  of  world  literature — the  quality  of 
being  inexhaustible,  rewarding  repeated  study  with  ever  deeper  truth 
and  beauty. 

Thus  students  should  read  over  and  over  the  poems  to  be  discussed 
in  this  course  until  every  line  is  familiar.  Next  in  value  to  these  texts 
are  Browning's  other  works,  especially  those  recommended  in  the 
references  following  each  lecture  outline.  Constant  comparison  should 
be  made  between  one  poem  and  another  with  the  aim  of  appreciating 
the  essential  characteristics  of  Browning's  art  and  the  great  ideas  to 
which  he  most  frequently  returns. 

Next  in  value  to  Browning's  own  work  are  those  collections  of  in- 
formation assumed  by  Browning  in  his  poems,  and  hence  necessary 
to  the  intelligent  reading  of  them.  Of  these,  Berdoe's  Browning 
Cyclopcedia  is  perhaps  the  most  useful;  Cooke's  Browning  Guide-Book 
and  the  notes  to  the  Camberwell  and  new  Riverside  editions  are  also 
excellent. 

Biographies  of  Browning  (such  as,  Mrs.  Orr's,  Dowden's,  Herford's, 
Sharp's,  Chesterton's,  and  the  Browning  Letters)  come  next  in  value. 
While  Browning  was  opposed  to  the  poet's  wearing  his  heart  upon  his 
sleeve  and  resented  the  biographer's  intrusion  into  the  intimacies 
of  the  artist's  life,  nevertheless  Browning's  greatest  work  would  have 
been  impossible  except  for  the  deeps  of  his  personal  experience,  and 
his  philosophy  becomes  doubly  illuminating  when  seen  in  relation  to 
his  own  character  and  development. 

Criticism,  even  when  appreciative,  should  be  given  a  distinctly 
subordinate  place  and  used  mainly  to  stimulate  the  student's  thinking 
after  his  own  view  of  Browning's  poetry  and  philosophy  has  been 
clearly  formulated. 

Above  all,  thinking  is  more  important  than  much  reading.     All 

45 


great  art  is  an  illumination  and  interpretation  of  human  life;  thus 
one's  own  life  is  in  turn  the  key  to  the  understanding  of  the  work  of 
art.  All  the  great  experiences  of  human  life  are  in  some  form  in  the 
past  of  the  humblest  of  us;  thus  each  has  within  himself  the  material 
for  the  understanding  of  the  deepest  poetry.  There  is  plenty  of  lum- 
ber in  anyone's  attic;  what  people  need,  as  Emerson  put  it,  is  "a 
lamp  to  ransack  their  attics  withal."  There  is  plenty  of  experience 
in  your  past  life,  what  you  need  is  the  light  of  thought  to  interpret 
it.  The  lamp  is  hard  to  light,  and  only  constant  care  and  effort  will 
keep  it  burning,  but  nothing  can  take  its  place. 

An  effort  to  work  out,  in  advance  of  the  lecture,  as  many  as  possible 
of  the  topics  following  the  lecture  outline  will  help;  and  expression 
of  one's  thinking  in  a  note  book,  to  oneself,  or  with  a  group  of  fellow- 
students,  will  do  much  to  clarify  thought.  A  nebulous  idea  becomes 
a  clear  conception  only  through  expression;  thus  the  effort  to  formu- 
late thought  is  the  greatest  discipline  to  thinking. 


BOOK   LIST. 

Books  starred  are  of  special  value  in  connection  with  this  course;  those  double- 
starred  are  texts  for  study  and  discussion,  or  are  otherwise  of  first  importance. 

Browning,  **Works,  Camberwell  edition,  12  volumes,  with  introduc- 
tions and  notes  by  Charlotte  Porter  and  Helen  A.  Clarke.  T.  Y. 
Crowell  &  Co.,  New  York,  1898. 

This  edition  is  in  convenient  form  and  is  well  annotated. 
The  new  Riverside  edition  in  6  volumes,  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co., 
Boston,  1899,  contains  introductions  and  notes  embodying  the 
excellent  material  from  Cooke's  Browning  Guide-Book.  The 
Cambridge  edition,  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  Boston,  1895,  is  an 
admirable  edition  of  all  Browning's  works  in  one  volume,  but  the 
type  is  necessarily  small.  The  edition  in  2  volumes,  by  Augustine 
Birrell,  The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1896,  is  excellent  and  the 
type  is  a  little  more  easy  to  read  than  in  the  Cambridge  edition. 
Numerous  volumes  of  selections  from  Browning  are  currently 
published,  among  the  most  satisfactory  of  which  are  those  by 
Smith,  Elder  &  Co.,  London,  and  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  New  York. 

Browning,  R.  and  E.  B.,  *Letter8,  2  vols.,  pp.  574  and  571.  Harper 
&  Bros.,  Now  York,  L899. 

Browning,  Elizabeth  Barrett,  ^Letters,  edited  by  Frederic  G.  Kenyon. 
2  vols.,  pp.  xiv  +  478  and  vi  +  464.  The  Macmillan  Co.,  New 
York,  1897. 


Bibliography  of  Robert  Browning  by  F.  J.  Furnivall.     In  London  Brown- 
ing Society's  Papers,  part  i,  pp.  21-115;  part  ii,  pp.    117-170, 

Triibner  &  Co.,  London,  1881  and  1883. 

See  also  Materials  for  a  Bibliography  of  Robert  Browning.     In 

Nicoll   and  Wise,   Literary  Anecdotes  of  the  Nineteenth  Century , 

vol.  1,  pp.  361-627.     Hodder  &  Stoughton,  London,  1895. 
Alexander,  William  John,  An  Introduction  to  the  Poetry  of  Robert  Brown- 
ing.    Pp.  iv  +  212.     Ginn  &  Co.,  Boston,  1889. 
Beale,    Dorothea,    The  Religious   Teaching  of  Browning.     In  London 

Browning  Society's  Papers,  part  iii,  pp.  323-338.     Triibner  &  Co., 

London,    1882.     Also    reprinted    in    Berdoe,    Browning    Studies, 

pp.  76-91. 
Berdoe,  Edward,  Browning  and  the  Christian  Faith.     Pp.  xx  +  231. 

The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1896. 
Berdoe,  Edward,  **The  Browning  Cyclopaedia.     Pp.  xviii  +  576.     The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1902. 
Berdoe,  Edward,  Browning's  Message  to  His  Time.     Pp.  222.     Swan 

Sonnenschein  &  Co.,  London,  1890. 
Berdoe,  Edward  (editor),  *Browning  Studies,  being  Select  Papers  by 

Members  of  the  London  Browning  Society.    Pp.  xii  +  331.    George 

Allen,  London,  1895. 
Berdoe,  Edward,  A  Primer  of  Browning.    Pp.  vi  +  124.    E.  P.  Dutton 

&  Co.,  New  York,  1904. 
Birrell,  Augustine,  Obiter  Dicta,  Series  I,  pp.  55-95,  On  the  Alleged 

Obscurity  of  Mr.   Browning's  Poetry.     Charles  Scribner's  Sons, 

New  York,  1893. 
Bolton,  Sarah  K.,  Famous  English  Authors  of  the  Nineteenth  Century, 

pp.  389-451,  Robert  Browning.      T.  Y.  Crowell  &  Co.,  New  York, 

1890. 
*  Boston  Browning  Society  Papers   (The),   Selected  to  Represent  the 

Work  of  the  Society  from  1886  to  1897.     Pp.  viii  +  503.     The 

Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1897. 

Some  excellent  papers,  falling  into  several  connected  series. 
Bradford,  Amory  H.,  Spiritual  Lessons  from  the  Brownings.     Pp.  38. 

T.  Y.  CroweU  &  Co.,  New  York,  1900. 
Bronson,  Katherine   C,   Browning  in  A  solo.     In   Century  Magazine, 

vol.  59,  pp.  920-931.     April,  1900. 
Bronson,  Katharine  DeKay,  Browning  in  Venice.     In  Century  Magazine, 

vol.  63,  pp.  572-584.     February,  1902. 
Brooke,  Stopford  A.,  *The  Poetry  of  Robert  Browning.     Pp.  iv  +  447. 

T.  Y.  Crowell  &  Co.,  New  York,  1902. 

An  admirable,  well-balanced  study.     Perhaps  the  best  general 

criticism  of  Browning  yet  published. 

47 


Buchanan,   Robert,  Master  Spirits,  pp.   89-109,  The  Ring  and  the 

Book:    Browning's  Masterpiece.     Henry  S.  King  &  Co.,  London, 

1873. 
Buck,  J.  D.,  Browning's  Paracelsus  and  Other  Essays,  pp.  13-60,  Brown- 
ing's Paracelsus.     The  Robert  Clarke  Co.,  Cincinnati,  O.,  1897. 
Bulkeley,  H.  J.,  The  Reasonable  Rhythm  of  Some  of  Browning's  Poems. 

In   London  Browning  Society's  Papers,   part  viii,   pp.    119-131. 

Triibner  &  Co.,  London,  1886. 
Burton,  Richard,  Literary  Likings,  pp.  150-171,  Renaissance  Pictures 

in  Browning's  Poetry.     Copeland  &  Day,  Boston,  1898. 
)/Bury,  John,   Browning's  Philosophy.     In  London  Browning  Society's 

Papers,  part  iii,   pp.   259-277.     Turbner  &  Co.,   London,    1882. 

Also  reprinted  in  Berdoe,  Browning  Studies,  pp.  28-46. 
Carpenter,  W.  Boyd,  The  Religious  Spirit  in  the  Poets,  pp.  202-247, 

Browning.     T.  Y.  Crowell  &  Co.,  New  York,  1901. 
Cary,    Elizabeth  Luther,    Browning;   Poet   and   Man.     Pp.   ix  +  282. 

G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons,  New  York,  1899. 
A  compilation  with  excellent  illustrations. 
Chesterton,  G.  K.,  * Robert  Browning.     Pp.  v  +  207.     The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York,  1903. 

An  excellent  book,  strongly  original  and  freshly  stimulating. 

The  love  of  rather  brilliant  paradoxes  is  its  chief  fault.     At  times, 

too,  the  author  seems  almost  flippant;    yet  the  real  spirit  of  the 

book  is  earnest  and  deeply  appreciative  of  Browning. 
Clark,  J.  Scott,  A  Study  of  English  and  American  Poets,  A  Laboratory 

Method,    pp.    658-713,    Robert    Browning.     Charles    Scribner's 

Sons,  New  York,  1900. 
Cooke,  George  Willis,  *A  Guide-Book  to  the  Poetic  and  Dramatic  Works 

of  Robert  Browning.     Pp.   xvi  +  451.     Houghton,   Mifflin  &  Co.. 

Boston,  1901. 
Cooke,   George  Willis,   Poets  and  Problems,  pp.   269-388,   Browning. 

Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  Boston,  1893. 
Corson,  Hiram,  *An  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  Robert   Browning's 

Poetry.     Pp.  x  +  367.     D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston,  1889. 
Curtis,  George  William,  From  the  Easy  Chair,  pp.   197-208,  Robert 

Browning  in  Florence.     Harper  &  Bros.,  New  York,  1S92. 
Dawson,  W.  J.,  The  Makers  of  Modern  English,  pp.  270-327,  Browning. 

Hodder  &  Stoughton,  London,  1890. 
Dowden,  Edward,  *Boberi  Browning.     Pp.  xvi  4-  404.     E.  P.  Dutton 

&  Co.,  New  York,  1904. 
Dowden,  Edward,  Studies  in  Literature,  1789-1877,  pp.  191-239,  Mr. 

Tennyson    and    Mr.    Browning.     Kegan    Paul,    Trench,    Triibner 

&  Co.,  London,  1899. 

48 


Fleming,   Albert,   Andrea  del  Sarto.     In  London  Browning  Society's 

Papers,  part  viii,  pp.  95-102.     Triibner  &  Co.,  London,  1886. 
Fotheringham,  J.,  Studies  of  the  Mind  and  Art  of  Robert  Browning. 

Pp.  xxviii  +  576.     Horace  Marshall  &  Son,  London,  1898. 
Gosse,  E.,  Robert  Browning;    Personalia.     Pp.  96.     Houghton,  Mifflin 

&  Co.,  Boston,  1890. 
Grant,    Percy   Stickney,    Browning's   Art   in   Monologue.     In    Boston 

Browning  Society  Papers,  pp.  35-66. 
Herford,   Charles  H.,  Robert  Browning.     Pp.  xi  -t-  309.     Dodd,  Mead 

&  Co.,  New  York,  1905. 
Hubbard,  Elbert,  Little  Journeys  to  the  Homes  of  English  Authors,  vol. 

vi,  no.  2,  pp.  25-50,  Robert  Browning.     The  Roycrofters,  East 

Aurora,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  1900. 
Hutton,  Richard  Holt,  Literary  Essays,  pp.   188-243,  Mr.  Browning. 

The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1888. 
Hyde,  W.  De  Witt,  The  Art  of  Optimism  as  Taught  by  Robert  Browning. 

Pp.  35.     T.  Y.  Crowell  &  Co.,  New  York,  1900. 
Innes,  A.  D.,  Seers  and  Singers.     Pp.  223.     A.  D.  Innes  &  Co.,  London, 

1893. 
Johnson,  E.,  Conscience  and  Art  in  Browning.     In  London  Browning 

Society's  Papers,  part  iii,  pp.  345-380.     Triibner  &  Co.,  London, 

1882. 
Jones,   Henry,   Browning  as  a  Philosophical  and  Religious   Teacher. 

Pp.  xvi  +  349.     The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1899. 
Little,  Marion,  Essays  on  Robert  Browning.     Pp.  204.     Swan  Sonnen- 

schein  &  Co.,  London,  1899. 
London  Browning  Society's  Papers.    Published  by  Triibner  &  Co.,  1881- 

1891. 
A   mine    of   interesting   material.     Only   the   most   important 

papers  are  listed  here. 
Mabie,  Hamilton  Wright,  Essays  in  Literary  Interpretation,  pp.  99-137, 

Browning.     Dodd,  Mead  &  Co.,  New  York,  1892. 
Machen,   Minnie  Gresham,   The  Bible  in  Browning;    with  Particular 

Reference  to  The  Ring  and  the  Book.     Pp.  290.     The  Macmillan 

Co.,  New  York,  1903. 
Mazzini,  Joseph,  Life  and  Writings,  vol.  14,  pp.  1-55,  *The  Philosophy 

of  Music.     Smith,  Elder  &  Co.,  London,  1891. 
Mellone,  Sydney  Herbert,  Leaders  of  Religious  Thought  in  the  Nineteenth 

Century.     Pp.  viii  +  302.    Wm.  Blackwood  &  Sons,  London,  1902. 
Molineux,  Marie  Ada,  A  Phrase  Book  from  the  Poetic  and  Dramatic 

Works  of  Robert   Browning.     Pp.    xiii  +  520.    Houghton,  Mifflin 

&  Co.,  Boston,  1896. 

References  to  the  Riverside  and  Cambridge  editions. 
4  49 


Morley,  John,  Studies  in  Literature.  Pp.  347.  The  Macmillan  Co., 
New  York,  1897. 

Moulton,  Charles  Wells  (editor),  *The  Library  of  Literary  Criticism 
of  English  and  American  Authors,  vol.  7,  pp.  677-720,  Robert 
Browning.     Moulton  Publishing  Co.,  Buffalo,  1904. 

Nettleship,  John  T.,  Robert  Browning;  Essays  and  Thoughts.  Pp. 
xii  +  454.     Elkin  Mathews,  London,  1890. 

Ormerod,  Helen  J.,  Abt  Vogler,  The  Man.  In  London  Browning  Society's 
Papers,  part  x,  pp.  221-236.     Trtibner  &  Co.,  London,  1889. 

Ormerod,  Helen  J.,  Andrea  del  Sarto  and  Abt  Vogler.  In  London  Brown- 
ing Society's  Papers,  part  xi,  pp.  297-311.  Triibner  &  Co.,  Lon- 
don, 1890.  Also  reprinted  in  Berdoe,  Browning  Studies,  pp.  151-165. 

Ormerod,  Helen  J.,  Some  Notes  on  Browning's  Poems  Referring  to 
Music.  In  London  Browning  Society's  Papers,  part  ix,  pp.  180- 
195.  Triibner  &  Co.,  London,  1888.  Also  reprinted  in  Berdoe, 
Browning  Studies,  pp.  237-252. 

Orr,  Mrs.  S.,  *A  Handbook  to  the  Works  of  Robert  Browning.  Pp. 
xv  +  420.     George  Bell  &  Sons,  New  York,  1892. 

Orr,  Mrs.  S.,  *Life  and  Letters  of  Robert  Browning.  2  vols.,  pp.  xii  and 
ix  +  646.     Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  New  York,  1892. 

Pigou,  Arthur  Cecil,  Robert  Browning  as  a  Religious  Teacher.  Pp. 
xii  +  132.    The  Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1901. 

Porter,  Charlotte,  and  Clarke,  Helen  A.,  Browning  Study  Programmes. 
2  vols.,  pp.  xxiv  +  631.  To  accompany  the  Camberwell  Browning. 
T.  Y.  Crowell  &  Co.,  New  York,  1900. 

Porter,  Charlotte,  and  Clarke,  Helen  A.  (editors),  Poet-Lore.     1889-. 

This  magazine  has  from  its  commencement  devoted  a  large  part 
of  its  pages  to  Browning.  The  volumes  should  be  consulted  for 
valuable  articles  and  notes. 

Preston,  Harriet  Waters,  Robert  and  Elizabeth  Browning.  In  Atlantic 
Monthly,  vol.  83,  pp.  802-826.     June,  1899. 

Ritchie,  Anne  Isabella  Thackeray,  Records  of  Tennyson,  Ruskin  and 
Browning,  pp.  197-311,  Robert  and  Elizabeth  Browning.  The 
Macmillan  Co.,  New  York,  1893. 

Scudder,  Vida  D.,  The  Life  of  the  Spirit  in  the  Modern  English  Poets. 
Pp.  v  +  349.  See  especially  chapter  V,  pp.  201-238,  ♦Brown- 
ing as  a  Humorist.     Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  Boston,  1895. 

Sharp,  Amy,  Victorian  Poets.  Pp.  xx  +  207.  Methuen  &  Co.,  London, 
1891. 

Sharp,  William,  Life  of  Robert  Browning.  Pp.  219  +  xxii.  Walter 
Scott,  London,  1890. 

Stedman,  Edmund  Clarence,  Victorian  Poets.  Pp.  xxiv  +  521.  Hough- 
ton, Mifflin  &.  Co.,  Boston,  1893. 

50 


Strong,  Augustus  Hopkins,  The  Great  Poets  and  Their  Theology,  pp. 
373-447,  Browning.  American  Baptist  Publication  Society, 
Philadelphia,  1897. 

Symons,  Arthur,  An  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  Browning.  Pp.  vi  +  221. 
Cassell  &  Co.,  London,  1897. 

Thomson,  James,  Biographical  and  Critical  Studies,  pp.  437-483, 
Browning.     Reeves  &  Turner,  London,  1896. 

Turnbull,  Mrs.,  Abt  Vogler.  In  London  Browning  Society's  Papers, 
part  iv,  pp.  469-476.  Trubner  &  Co.,  London,  1883.  Also 
reprinted  in  Berdoe,  Browning  Studies,  pp.  143-150. 

Vasari,  Giorgio,  Lives  of  the  Painters,  Sculptors  and  Architects.  6  vols. 
Vol.  3,  pp.  180-236,  Andrea  del  Sarto.  George  Bell  &  Sons,  New 
York,  1892-1900. 

Walker,  Hugh,  The  Greater  Victorian  Poets.  Pp.  332.  The  Macmillan 
Co.,  New  York,  1895. 

Waugh,  Arthur,  Robert  Browning.  Pp.  xiv  +  155.  Small,  Maynard 
&  Co.,  Boston,  1900. 

West,  Miss  E.  D.,  One  Aspect  of  Browning's  Villains.  In  London  Brown- 
ing Society's  Papers,  part  iv,  pp.  411-434.  Trubner  &  Co.,  Lon- 
don, 1883.  Also  reprinted  in  Berdoe,  Browning  Studies,  pp. 
106-129. 

Whitman,  Sarah  W.,  Robert  Browning  in  His  Relation  to  the  Art  of 
Painting.     Pp.  22.     Browning  Society,  Boston,  1889. 

Wilson,  F.  Mary,  A  Primer  on  Browning.  Pp.  viii  +  248.  The  Mac- 
millan Co.,  New  York,  1891. 


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